The Purpose of Calamity
by Danielle.Higgins.84
Summary: How do you fight fate? Not with out a mess. The harder Arayah fights the direction fate seems to want to take her, the more chaos that ensues. Pushing her deeper and deeper into his life and his world. This was not what she wanted. But how can she just walk away after so much has changed? (A lot darker than it sounds, and turning out better than my "Monsters on fire". IMO)
1. Chapter 1

**The purpose of calamity**

Danielle Higgins

(I do not own the TMNT)

Chapter 1

"The Debt"

Raphael pulled his coat tighter around himself as he stepped off his motorcycle, making sure the zipper was as far up as it could go. His hood was pulled over his head with a black beanie underneath. His sun glasses hid his deep brown eyes, even though it was dark. A Black bandanna, with a skull printing, covered the rest of his face. The rest of him was just as well covered… all except his bulk. There wasn't much he could do about that.

Why all this caution when just trying to pick up a couple pizzas?

Well, when you are a 6 foot 6 inch talking turtle, attempting to walk around among humans, you can't be too cautious. In truth walking into a pizzeria was pushing it. But it was late, and as Raph had hoped, it was empty.

"Picking up an order for Michelangelo." Raph's deep voice rumbled out.

"Cool." The skinny teen behind the counter answered as he typed something into the computer then turned around to find the order.

_Ding ding. _The bell that hung above the door rang out, announcing another customer.

Raph quietly cursed the extra person he had to worry about.

The cashier came back from the back carrying four pizza boxes and three other boxes filled with… Raph wasn't sure.

"What's all that?" Raph asked as he reached into his pocket for the money.

"Oh, the guy on the phone added some cheesy bread and hot wings to the order." The cashier explained. He typed something else into the computer then announced, "That will be… fifty one dollars and ninety-six cents."

Raph stopped with his hand half way to the cashier. "Damn it, Mike." He grumbled under his breath.

He knew damn well he didn't have enough money. But, he counted it anyways. Raph sighed behind the bandanna that covered his face. "Look, whatever the hell he added…"

Suddenly the other costumer reached around Raph and slapped a twenty down on the counter. "You dropped this."

Raph blinked at the twenty, that he in fact had not dropped, then looked at the woman that had put it there.

Her pink lips were pursed in a serious expression, but her revishable apple green eyes glistened with sweetness. Her wild windblown hair framed her delicious beauty in an extremely distracting manner.

Raph wanted to argue, he wanted to tell the woman that he didn't need her money, His pride screamed at him to insist on just taking what he could afford himself. But all he could muster was a hushed. "Thank you." As he absent mindedly handed the cashier the rest of the money.

The smile that spread across her lips about did him in. If his heart pounded any harder it was going to burst.

"Here's your change." The cashier's voice snapped Raphael back to reality.

Reality then began to slap Raph with everything that was wrong with the moment; His pricked pride, the woman that was worlds out of reach like some unobtainable goddess, the monster he was that made him untouchable, the ease at which he was distracted, the universes general cruelty, and all this freaking pizza that he was going to have to manage on his motorcycle. By the time he reached the door he had worked himself into a bitter mood. Even still he couldn't help looking back at what he would never have.

"What's the name on the order?" The cashier asked the woman.

"Arayah Labelle." The goddess in biker leathers answered.

Raphael stepped outside to see a Black and red 2014 DUU V-twin cruiser motorcycle, with all the best options, parked next to his black and gray "stealth bike", as his motorcycle had been dubbed.

The machine was as beautiful as the woman that was now sliding her leg over it. She wrapped her wild hair up into a loose bun and slipped on a black helmet, then, after starting the motorcycle expertly, she slipped off into the night and even further out of reach.

Looking up at the heavens Raphael growled. "Why do you hate me?"

Raphael took his sweet time getting home, ensuring that the pizza was cold by the time he got there. He tossed the stack of pizza boxes carelessly onto the counter causing his brother, Michelangelo, to have to dive after them to keep the food from smashing to the floor.

"Dude! Respect the pizza man." Mikey complained as he opened one of the boxes.

"Shut it, Mike." Raph shot back at his brother.

"What the heck is your problem?" He asked through a mouthful of food.

"What is my problem? Are you serious, Mikey?" Raph exclaimed as he pulled his jacket off and threw it over the back of one of the mismatched chairs that sat around an old table.

Mikey responded with a shrug as he filled his mouth with more pizza.

"What are you yelling about now?" Leonardo, another brother of Raphael's, asked as he walked into the room. Each step he took seaming to have great purpose and direction. That purpose and direction was food, driven by the appetite he had worked up training and perfecting already expertly executed katas.

"Mikey added more to the order after I left." Raph complained as he gave the shorter, softer turtle a shove. "I didn't have enough money on me."

"Yet you managed to get it all. What'd you do? Grab it and run?" Mikey gave the more spartanesk turtle a return shove only to be shoved back harder.

Leonardo stepped between the two. "Will you guys knock it off." He turned his attention to Raphael. "You didn't just take any of this, did you?"

Most everything in their lives had been hard to come by… food, clothes…friends. Everything that ever graced their home, beneath the streets of New York City, had been re-purposed from one thing into another. What money they did have was what happened to slip through the sewer grates or was made helping their closest and most trusted friends, April and Casey Jones, with odd jobs.

The couple had also been kind in their charity to the mutant turtles and their sensei, Master Splinter...who was a six foot Rat. Despite the protests of the turtles, the unusual family was quite grateful to the couple who had so impacted, and had been equally as impacted by, the mutants. It is truly impossible to be friends with four mutant turtles and a mutant rat without being impacted greatly, especially if they can speak, all stand six foot and over, and practice the art of Ninjitsu.

"No, Leo. I didn't just take it." Raph glared down at Leo for suggesting that he would steel something when he could make due with less.

Raph was the biggest of his brothers, and marked with a red bandanna that was wrapped around his head like a mask. Two holes were cut out for his eyes and the tattered tails of his bandanna hung down to his chest. He was built like a Mac truck made of muscle and was more than happy to put it all to good use whenever the opportunity struck, using his twin sai to help get the job done. He was not the most disciplined and was often temperamental. Though he had gotten better at managing his temper over the years it still often got the better of him. He was however strong not just of body, but of character, If he believed something he was going to stand behind it one hundred percent. He was the kind of man you wanted to have your back in a fight but never have to fight against.

"Well, then how did you get it?" Leo continued his tone accusatory.

Leo or Leonardo wore a bandanna like his brother, as do all the turtles, except his was blue. And as opposite their colors, so were they. His weapon of choice was the katana.

If Raph was fire Leo was water, cool tempered and willing to take the time to find the best way through a situation. But, like fire often does with water, no one could bring Leo to a boil better than Raph. One thing they had in common was their stubbornness and utter determination. When working together they were nearly unstoppable. But when they clashed it was best to just get out of the way. Leo was also the designated leader of their clan, which, to his frustration, didn't mean he was necessarily listened to. He wasn't the tallest of the four but at six foot five inches, he wasn't exactly short either. Being the most disciplined of his brothers, he was toned, honed, and capable. If he felt he was lacking in any skill, he deemed necessary, he took the time to perfect it and left nothing half assed.

"A woman at the pizza place picked up the rest of the tab." Raph ran a hand over the top of his head as he tried to stifle his embarrassment. "Speaking of which, where is Donnie?"

"What does Donnie have to do with it?" Mikey asked

"I owe the woman twenty bucks, cause of you, Mike." Raph lectured.

Michelangelo was the shortest of the four brothers, standing at six foot two. Though they were all technically the same age, having always been the smallest, he was dubbed the little brother. A mentality he had embraced. He tended to be lazy. Happy to sneak away to video games, comic books, and sketch books, letting his brothers pick up the slack. However he possessed a welcoming warmth, like sunshine in the spring, that was brightened by his energetic and mirthful personality, The orange bandanna he sported also seemed to reflect this aspect of his personality. Despite all this, he possessed a great deal of skill as a ninja. Both acrobatic and quick he was simply a natural. His personality rolled over in his fighting style, perfectly complimented by the pair of nunchuku he loved as much as he loved food… and air. All, apparently, necessary for life.

"I was hungry, dude." Mikey defended himself from behind Leo.

Leo rolled his eyes at his brothers. Even pushing thirty they still all managed to bicker like children. "Raph, just take it as a gift. It's not like you can just walk up to her and hand her the money."

"I managed to get in and out of the pizza place fine didn't I?" Raph turned to search for the fourth brother, Donatello.

Leo frowned at his brother's retreating form. "I'm not exactly happy about how that was handled either."

Raph didn't give a flying leap how Leo felt about the pizza situation. So, Raph ignored him.

Donatello was found, where he can usually be found, in his workshop/lab tinkering away at something. His purple bandanna tails pushed back over his shoulders and caught up on some of the techy gear he insisted on carrying around with him everywhere. Donatello had always been one who liked to learn and see how things worked. As his understanding of technology had grown, so had his interest in making it better. He was the reason for anything and everything that made the turtles' lives easier; from running water and running vehicles in the layer to cell phones and tracking devices, as well as, Raph's favorite, the stealth bike. His fighting style was an extension of his intelligence, preferring to outsmart an opponent when possible while using his bo staff to masterfully subdue them when required.

Raph sauntered into the brightly lit lab and leaned against the desk by where his brother sat. The Lab was littered with all sorts of random things brought home from junk yards. Tables were covered with tools and chemistry sets. There were also shelves upon shelves of books. All of which the purple banded brother had read at one point or another.

Don eyed Raphael as the large turtle crossed his arms and let his eyes wonder about the room. "Hey Raph, what do you need?"

"Pizza's here." He informed.

Don nodded and stood up, to a daunting six foot nine inches, from the project he was working on. Raph may have been the biggest in build but Don was the tallest.

"Hey, Don…" Raph said as he poked at a random springy thing. "Can you look someone up for me?"

"Look someone up? You say it like it's as easy as opening… I don't know a phone book, or using google." Donatello dropped the not so subtle hint that Raph could do it himself.

Raph shot Don an irritated look. "Our phone book is like a hundred years old and most people have cell phones anyways, and I ain't no good at that computer shit."

Don winced at Raph's terrible grammar. "am not any." He mumbled his correction then sighed. "Who do you want me to look up?"

Since Don was sounding like he was going to maybe be helpful Raph let the verbal correction slide by with no more than a scowl. His expression quickly softened at the thought of the attractive woman from the pizzeria. "Her name is… umm…"

Donatello's eyes widened with surprise. "A girl? You want me to find a girl?"

Donnie's surprise wasn't so much at Raph's possible interest in a female so much as it was that Raph wasn't one to seek a woman out on a whim. He had gone off on everyone on several occasions about how stupid any of the turtles would have to be to think for a second that a human female would be even remotely interested in any of them. This beratement would usually come after one of them had foolishly attempted to seek out the affections of whatever female might have held one of their interests. Anything that had ever come out of an attempt had been short lived. The curiosity and novelty would quickly ware off and the reality of what it would mean to have a relationship with a giant turtle, that lived in secret below ground, sent women, not always running, but in the least, regretfully retreating to the lives they had known before. Raphael always there with the "I told you so." That none of them wanted to hear. The once entertained ideas of falling in love and having a possible mate had long been forsaken by the turtles.

Irritated again, with his reaction to the woman that had caught him off guard, Raph glared at Donatello. "Arayah Labelle, I owe her Money."

"How much?" Don asked not quite over his initial surprise.

'Not enough for all this trouble' Raph thought to himself. But then his pride began to poke at him with its sharp claws yet again. "It doesn't matter. She was riding a CR&S DUU motorcycle. That should help narrow things down."

Don raised an eye ridge. "Ya, that should narrow it down."

The motorcycle wasn't a cheap item to come by and even if you could afford one it wasn't one you would find at just any dealership.

"Good. Thanks Don." The two then made their way back to the kitchen to scavenge what was left of the pizza.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Serendipitous"

No one was sure how old Splinter really was, not even Splinter. But one thing was for sure, he was no longer young. His fur had long since gone from brown and silky to gray, wiry, and to his dismay, thinning. Though he still practiced his ninjitsu regularly he spent more and more time in meditation seeking… well, rest really, though he enjoyed telling his sons he was on a quest for the seemingly ungraspable wild goose known as peace and quiet.

He could hear one of his adopted son's steady breathing next to him. Leonardo seemed to find more solace in meditation than the others did. The otherwise silent room was a welcome reprieve in the early hours, or at least early for them. Being creatures that had to move among shadows they had become mostly nocturnal, rising in the early evening and finding rest with the rising of the sun.

Heel first, then slowly rolling to his toes, step by step Michelangelo quietly made his way across the padded dojo floor. Leo was a hard turtle to sneak up on and Splinter was harder, still even with his diminishing hearing.

Mikey held his breath and took three quicker steps while simultaneously bringing his hands together smashing an over full balloon with a very loud POP!

Leo responded to the sound as a warrior should, with swiftness and accuracy.

Before the word "run" could find its way to the for front of his brain, Mikey found himself on his carapace with a blade at his throat, a knee in his chest, and Leo's deep brown eyes glaring down at him.

Mikey grinned cheesely at his brother. "Got ya."

The crashing about the Dojo and playful taunting that ensued quickly drew the attention of the rest of Splinter's sons. Not wanting to miss the chance to prove themselves the better ninja they quickly joined the sparring.

Splinter couldn't help but watch with pride at the skill, comradery, and light hearted competitiveness that he had instilled in all of them. And thus they started their daily practice in the art they had mastered in their youth now it was about keeping their skills honed and senses sharp for even the greatest of masters are not invincible and may make a false step.

As night came to rest over the city. Raphael made his way out of the sewers and across the roof tops. In his hand was a piece of paper that had on it the address of the woman he was indebted to.

Raph climbed down off the roof and climbed down the fire escape. Checked a couple different windows, then on the second floor found the one he was looking for.

"Sure add that she can kick ass." Raph grumbled to himself as another desirable trait was shown off before him.

Inside he saw Arayah jabbing and kicking away at a punching bag with a pair of tonfa in her hands. Her movements showing she had had a great deal of training.

Shaking his head at himself, Raph carefully sat a twenty dollar bill down on the window sill with a rock to way it down. Then after steeling one last look, that he told himself was to be sure she would hear him, He tapped on the window sill. He swung himself onto the landing above then, as he heard the window open beneath him, climbed to rest of the way to the roof.

Arayah picked the twenty up off the window sill. She turned the money over in her hands. The less than wonderful feeling of being watched crept over her. While stifling a shiver, she gripped her tonfu and leaned out the window looking for anyone slinking about.

A woman's scream caused Arayah to jump, bumping her head on the open window. A second cry got Arayah to jump out her window and drop her way down the fire escape. As soon as her tennis shoes hit the asphalt she took off running in the direction of what sounded like and exploding struggle.

The scene that awaited her in the crossing ally was a lot to take in.

A circle of twenty or so ruff, thuggish looking men surrounded a very large, partially clothed, snarling turtle. The group was attacking the turtle wielding pipes, chains, and knives. The turtle was holding his own against the group impressively well taking down his opponents with the skilled use of a pair of sai.

A woman sat pressed against the brick wall of the ally, her clothes torn and disheveled, and her eyes wide with shock as she watched the battle obviously terrified.

Arayah decided to see to the woman first. "Hey, you ok?" She asked as she hurried down next to the frightened woman placing a hand on her shoulder.

The woman jumped as she turned to face Arayah. "They…they… he…"

"Who hurt you?" Arayah asked as she gently helped the woman to her feet, taking a moment to glance at the fight, as she led the woman toward the ally's exit. There was going to be a winner and she needed to know who she could trust. She was surprised by the answer.

"Those… men," the woman said between sobs, "They tore…my cloths."

Arayah stopped. "Not the turtle?"

The woman shook her head as she sniffled and continued to limp forward, having no desire to stop now that the street that marked salvation was only feet away. "I need to call the police." She said as she gave herself a directive and in her new found determination took off running in look for the closest phone.

Arayah looked back at the dwindling group of men as she tried to decide if she should continue on with the victim of this gang or if she should aid the creature that fought them.

Raph swung out throwing powerful punches and quick, hard kicks as his opponents came at him from all sides. He ignored the vibration sent through his shell to his bones by Pipes striking his shell as he attempted to block a chain that struck and wrapped around his arm. He retaliated by yanking the holder of the chain off balance while sending out a donkey kick into the closest man behind him. This movement however opened him up to an attack from the side. This came in the form of a blade sinking into his shoulder near his neck. Raph didn't get the chance to express his pain, in his distraction a pipe found a connection with his jaw.

Arayah's decision was made. She ran into the fight blind siding two of the men, which were still standing, with hard strikes of her tonfu to the backs of their heads, each strike after, finding its mark beautifully.

The distraction she provided gave the turtle just enough time to correct himself.

He brought an elbow up into the face of the nearest opponent, the man's upper jaw and orbital bone crunching under the force. Raphael then reached up and in one smooth movement landed his fist on the chin of another man, reaching up and pulling the knife out of his shoulder in the follow through. The knife quickly found its self in a surprised thug's chest, vibrating as each panicked heart beat tapped its blade.

"Ya, you better run!" Arayah yelled her threat at the couple of thugs that had managed to escape her wrath. She then turned back to the turtle that stood a few feet away.

He appeared most menacing. His eyes still glazed with lust for the fight, adrenalin pumping heavily through his veins, and thick red blood dripping down his arm as it seeped from the wound the knife had left in his shoulder.

Arayah took a deep breath and swallowed down her fear of the creature as he eyed her. 'It's an injured animal. You know how to handle this.' She tried to calm herself.

Sirens and blue flashing lights pushed any plan she had in dealing with the turtle to the side.

The necessary retreat was quickly realized by both parties.

As they approached the fire escape Arayah caught hold of the Raphael's belt and pulled gently, "Come on, this way." She said in a manner not too unlike calling a dog.

"Come on." She continued as she led the way up the fire escape to her open window.

Raph didn't care to be coaxed like a pet, but needing a place to lay low for a bit and look after his injury, he followed. Sliding the window and curtains closed behind him.

Arayah went straight for the kitchen as Raph stayed by the window watching, through a crack in the closed curtains, as the police started their search of the ally below. Cupboards banging closed in the kitchen brought his attention into the apartment.

The apartment was small but well kept, consisting of a tiny kitchen, and a reasonable living room that doubled as a bed room. The door to the bathroom was just off the kitchen. It wasn't really decorated other than the curtains and the flowery bed spread, but a well-worn heavy punching bag hung from the ceiling. Between that and the T.V. what else could anyone need.

Arayah dropped a large medical bag on the bed, that doubled as her couch, and unzipped it. She looked up at the six foot plus turtle, took a deep breath than, with a towel in one gloved hand and betadine in the other, began to slowly advance. "Ok, big guy, you're probably not going to like this, but you are bleeding all over." Arayah took a deep breath as she came to a stop in front of him. "Just please don't hurt me."

Raphael rolled his eyes and snatched the towel from Arayah's hand. "I'm not gunna hurt you." He frowned as he pressed the towel to his shoulder.

Arayah blinked at him in surprise as she watched him make his way to the kitchen, where he turned on the fosset and started to try and clean his wound.

A soft hand touched Raphael's arm. He turned to look down at her. She had carried the duffle bag back into the kitchen and was dragging a stool behind her.

"I can help. I'm a doctor… well a vet, actually." Her lips turned up in that sweet, delicate smile, that got Raph's heart beating.

Raph hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should let her so close to him, the sweet distraction that she was. He couldn't stitch up his shoulder by himself however. So deciding to suck it up, he sat on the stool.

Arayah pulled out a local anesthetic and a needle to administer it.

"No needles." Raph mumbled. Just cause she was pretty and had been helpful so far, did not mean he could trust her.

"It will help with the pain." She tried to explain.

"No needles." Raph looked at her when he repeated himself so she knew he meant it.

"You need stitches. That will require a…"

Raph sighed with frustration. Did she really think he was that stupid? "No shots. Can you do that?"

She licked her lips nervously as she nodded. "Ya."

"Good." He said as he went back to trying not to stare at her.

He winced as she cleaned out the injury. He was glad for the pain though. It kept his head clear as her scent, sweet like honey yet spicy like ginger, drifted into his senses.

"My name is Raphael."

It was so strange to have a patient that talked to her, and that the words came from a giant turtle. Especially considering every turtle she had ever seen in the office didn't have vocal cords. He seemed smart too, at least equal to the average human. Matter of fact he had quite a few humanesk features. He stood on two feet, had opposable thumbs, lips instead of a beak, and his eyes were not like a turtle's, and Arayah had to admit he was a magnificent specimen, an excellent example of his kind… if he had a kind.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Arayah." She said politely.

Raph watched as Arayah pulled open a sterile curved needle that was connected to a long dark thread.

"Why do you keep helping me?" He asked, then grunted when the needle was pressed into his flesh.

"Keep?" She spared him a quizzical glance as she pulled the thread tight, then brought her attention back to his shoulder as she pushed the needle through again.

Raph suddenly realized how creepy he was going to come across if he told her he was the one she helped at the pizzeria. Especially if she put that together with the twenty he had left on her window sill. "well.. um. You… in the ally," He decided that was the best route to run with. "They got one up on me and you could have just left."

"If one sees evil and does nothing, they are as guilty as those that committed it." she gave a small shrug. "Besides, you helped that woman. Why did you do that? You know her or something?"

Raph shook his head. "Same reason you helped me, I guess."

"Hmmm." She hummed as she sat back to admire her work on his shoulder. "All patched up." She smiled brightly

Arayah dug around a bit in the med bag and pulled out a long, thick strip of fabric and a bottle of pain reliever. She fought with the cap for a moment. "Can I ask you something?"

"I'm a mutant." Raph anticipated the question that everyone always asked.

"Turtle or human mutant." She grunted as she continued to struggle with the cap.

Raph reached out and took it from her. "Does it matter?" _twist, pop _

Arayah frowned at the bottle as he handed it back to her. "Thanks." She rolled a couple pills out into Raph's three fingered hand. "I guess not. Just curious."

Curiosity. Raphael had come to hate that word when it was in regard to him or his family. It had caused them all a lot of trouble over the years. His thoughts on the matter were cut short by the woman's breasts suddenly in his face as she attempted to wrap the strip of fabric in a make shift sling. First, bringing it over his good shoulder then leaning down to bring it under his arm, her V-neck shirt hanging so her ample cleavage was fully visible.

Raph quickly turned his attention to the unfascinating ceiling, counting his breaths till she was done.

Arayah brought his attention back by placing the bottle of pain pills in his hand. "I want you to wear the sling for at least two weeks. I don't want you to pull your stitches." She then put some gauze, medical tape, and betadine, into a bag before handing it to Raphael as well. "Keep it clean. If you run into any problems you know where to find me."

Before Raph could thank her, the door shook with a loud, pounding, knock.

"This is the Police. We need to ask you some questions." The voice, on the other side of the door, called out.

"Just a minute." Arayah called back, then looked at the turtle that sat in her kitchen. "I think I should leave your part in this out of my statement."

"Good idea." Raph said as he stood up and made his way to the window. Before climbing out he looked back and gave her a small smile, "Thanks."

She returned the smile as she reached for the door, the officer was pounding on again. Then, just like that the turtle was gone.

With the room clear Arayah turned the knob and opened the door. "How can I help you, sir?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Helicopters"

_Thud thud thud…_ came the steady sound of Raph's fist hitting a tattered old punching bag in the dojo.

Sleep had deprived him the last few nights thanks to the pain in his shoulder coupled with his refusal to take the pain meds, in case someone else needed them later, and the green eyed vixen that felt it necessary to haunt his dreams. He might find it ridiculous to hope for a relationship with a woman but, Damn it, he was still a man. Their delicate curves and soft flesh were something he still found enticing and beautiful. Sometimes the desire to touch it, just once, just to know, was hard to stifle.

He slammed his knee into the heavy bag with a grunt, making it sway.

"Having trouble sleeping?"

Raph jumped spun around to see who had snuck up on him. "Damn it , Leo." He snapped.

"Jumpy too." Leo laid a couple of hits into the bag. "You alright."

"Just sore." Raph sighed.

"There's some pain meds." Leo said as he moved to look at Raph's battle wound.

Raph shook his head, as Leo inspected the stitching.

"She did a good job." Leo stated, taking a step back. Then shook his head, " I can't believe you went over there."

Raph let out a loud sigh. "Did you come in here to lecture me, Leo?"

Shaking his head, Leo turned and laid another strike on the bag. "No, I came to get ready for training."

"It's that time already?" Raph blinked.

"Just about." As usual, Leonardo was early.

With a tired sigh Raph joined his brother in stretching everything, except his injured shoulder and the arm that was pinned to his side. Before long the others joined in. And when splinter was late, as happened more often these days, Leonardo took over leading the training being careful to do things that wouldn't cause Raphael to risk further injury to his shoulder.

The wait for night fall was rather uneventful. Don tinkered on some stuff in his work shop and the other three spent their morning showing off their gaming skills. Michelangelo rambunctiously rubbed in every win.

"You sure you can keep up with the speed demon." Mikey referred to himself as he taunted his injured brother.

"My shoulder's what hurt, numb nuts, not my legs. I'm gunna run circles around you." Raph taunted back as they hurried down the sewer tunnel, exited to get out of the layer.

Mikey flipped about ahead of his brothers. "Well I'm running circles around your circles, man."

"Not if I break your legs." Raph grinned mischievously as he picked up his pace.

"Guys, we are ninja. We are supposed to be quiet." Leo called after the two.

Donatello kept pace with his blue banded brother. "You've been telling them that for almost twenty years, if it hasn't sunk in by now than it probably won't."

The four brother's dove between the shadows of the alleys and roof tops. All four ducked low as a helicopter flew overhead. It's spot light beaming down on the city below.

"What do you think they are looking for?" Mikey asked.

"Probably a runner." Raph said as he peered over the edge of the building hoping to see said possible runner.

Don watched the helicopter through a pair of binoculars. "I don't think so guys. It's not a police helicopter."

"Then who's is it?" Leo asked as he borrowed the binoculars and took a look for himself.

"No way to know. They're not marked." Don said with a shrug.

Mikey moved to a higher vantage point on the roof. "Look there's another one."

"It is New York, Mikey." Raphael said dryly. "There's bound to be more than one."

"No." Don said after joining Michelangelo. "It's looking for something too."

Leo pointed out several more with spot lights on, further out into the city. "Maybe we should call it tonight, guys. With all this activity it's just not safe."

There was a chorus of grumbles behind him.

"I'm sorry, but with Raph hurt I just…"

Raph interrupted. "Are you serious? We'll lay low... anything. But I can't spend another minute stuck in that sewer. I need some fucking air."

Leonardo sighed. He didn't like it. With all the surface activity it was dangerous to be out. But going back to the layer ran the risk of Raph going out on his own later. "We need to be careful…"

"Aw ya!" Mikey expressed his excitement with a fist pump.

"But," Leo continued. "We lay low. And we are only out an hour. Got it?"

"Got it." the other three agreed.

Leo looked back at the flock of helicopters that buzzed over New York. "It's only an hour." He said to himself, then followed his brothers to play 'don't get spotted.'

Running through the shadows and tempting fate at the edge of spot lights, the brothers were rather enjoying themselves. It was like a game of ninja tag only they got to all work together and noise was a little less of a worry. Which was good cause Mikey would break out in laughter every time Raph forgot he had his arm in a splint and ended up face planting or landing hard on his side.

"Son of a bitch!" Raph cursed as he crashed into a dumpster in his attempt to vault himself into it after his brother. He ended up into it, just not gracefully. Fed up he ripped the sling off his arm and threw it into the garbage he was now sitting in.

Mikey was cackling in the opposing corner. "Man, your killing me. Are you going to be able to go ten minutes without trying to break yourself?"

Raph threw a peace of trash at his brother, but he couldn't help but chuckle at himself. He always did have a hard time adjusting to change.

The helicopter that swept the ally with its spot light caused the two to duck a little further into the dumpster. The sound of the following struggle brought them out.

Donatello spun his bo as he blocked a barrage of gun fire from a row of men in unmarked black military style uniforms.

Leo leapt down from a fire escape taking out one man on the far left flank as he landed. His swords swung up and through the guns of two others. his fists, with the hilts of his swords, then met the owner's faces.

Mikey flipped himself into the fight. He landed hard on one man's out streaked arms as he snapped his nunchuku forward hitting his opponent on the right flank in the sides of the man's head.

Raph used the cover of Don's spinning bo as the two moved in on the center. As soon as the guns shifted toward their brothers they attacked.

Don used the reach of his bo to knock the guns down then snap the end of his weapon back up into the face of one opponent. He then swinging around into the side and gut of another. He finished up with a solid hit to the side man's helmet and another to his gut.

Meanwhile Raphael slammed into one opponent with his good shoulder and caught hold of the rail cover on another opponent's gun. He threw all his weight onto the man he knocked to the ground while he pulled hard on the gun twisting it up so that the shoulder strap wrapped around the man's neck. With his foot on the man's shoulder he pulled till the man ceased to struggle, but released before death became a certain outcome.

"Let's move." Leo ordered.

No one argued as they quickly disappeared into the sewers below. Donatello lagging just a bit as he took the time to pick up one of the projectiles that had been shot at them, once below he inspected the object. "Tranq darts?"

Leonardo looked over Don's shoulder at the dart. "Think they were after us?"

Don shrugged. "Maybe."

"But who would be after us in helicopters?" Michelangelo asked.

"Bishop." Raph growled out the name of an old enemy they knew all too well, for he was the monster that tormented their darkest of knight mares and they each bore the deep unforgiving scars of his sadism.

"God I hope you're wrong." Leo voiced what the others were thinking.

The walk back to the layer was slow, cautious, and eerily silent. None of them would sleep well tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Like a Moth to flame"

The News had claimed there had been a city wide search for a couple of escaped felons. They had even shown pictures. But, as April had asked Donatello later, when did the police start using tranquilizers? April had covered the story and found there seemed to be a lot of holes and things that weren't quite matching up with the story the turtles had told her. So despite the desire to believe the news story the turtles took extra caution for the next week. Which meant no one left and no one came down.

After three days of being stuck poking around the layer, Mikey was board. You can only watch so much T.V and play so many video games, draw, read comics, and anything else that requires sitting still before you start to find ways to make things interesting for everybody. Sure he tried to train more with Leo, buuut that lost his interest relatively quickly as well. So Mikey mischief ensued, over the next four days.

There was sugar in the salt shaker, salt in the sugar jar, cling wrap across halls, sticky goop on door knobs, and each prank was more elaborate from the last until no one wanted to touch anything.

Leo, Don, Raph, and splinter now sat on the couch watching golf on the T.V.. Not because they wanted to watch golf, but because none of them cared to tangle with the rather LARG spider that was hanging out under the glass mixing bowl on the coffee table accompanied by the remote. The control box by the T.V. had been thoroughly gooped up with petroleum jelly. Don would have looked up the spider to make sure it wasn't poisonous, but his computer and all his reference books were in his lab. Which, he had been warned, was boobie trapped. No one was happy.

Mikey was banned to his room until everyone was over the strong desire to beat him. So naturally he found a way to drive everyone crazy from there.

Now if a rubber band is pulled so tight and bounced off the ceiling at this angle it just might hit….

"Owe. Mikey! Knock it off!" Leo shouted.

Mikey snickered as he readied another rubber band. Release and snap.

"Damn it!" Raph bellowed and jumped up so fast he knocked over the coffee table releasing the large, ugly spider.

The spider scurried, Raph freaked and started throwing things at it. Don and Leo ducked for cover and splinter just hunkered deeper into his chair with a groan. In the midst of Raphael's attack on the unwanted spider something was bumped, a ticking sound followed, then the whizz of a rope, the clatter of a bucket and the slosh of milk, followed by a trail of cuss words that would make a sailing prostitute blush.

"That's it! I'm out a here!" Raph declared as he stormed toward the exit.

"Raphael." Splinter called his son.

Raph stopped long enough to inform his sensei of his destination. "I'm going to Casey's and I'll take the long way."

Splinter frowned but nodded his ok.

Raph turned, promptly running into another strip of cling wrap that blocked the door way… which was attacked with a great deal of anger at the ends of a pair of sai.

By the time Raph stormed into Casey's garage he was fuming. He slammed the door open then slammed the door closed so hard the wall shook.

"Ruff night?" Casey asked as he wiped the oil from his hands.

"You spend a week stuck in the layer with Mikey, and then deal with that shitty traffic. I mean what the hell was going on tonight that had every one and there fucking slow ass grandmother on the fucking road anyways." Raphael griped.

Casey motioned to the T.V. that flickered on a shelf. "The game just got over not too long ago."

Raph let out an exasperated growl. "I missed the fucking game?! Damn." He turned and walked over to the Metro GTA Casey was working on. "What's wrong with it?"

"Just a leaky rear main seal and it needs fluids. How's your shoulder?" Casey answered then asked as he lay down on the concrete floor and slid himself back under the vehicle.

"Sore." Raph answered simply. Then made his way to one of the shelves Casey kept the different oils on to search for the needed kind.

"Mike said you though your Doctor was hot." Casey chuckled to himself.

Raph rolled his eyes. He must have been tripped off those pain pills when got home that night. "Ya."

Raph went back to the car with appropriate oil in hand and began to pour it in to the car.

"So you like her." Casey suggested from under the chasse of the Metro GTA. "I thought you didn't bother with any of that romance stuff."

Even though his friend couldn't see him, Raph shrugged. "I didn't say I was looking to marry her I just said she was hot. I'm not stupid but I'm not dead either. I know what I like. I just can't touch it."

Casey paused his work on the seal. "God, you sound pathetic. The others have at least given it a try, Raph."

"Ya and it lead where, Casey?" Raph shook his head. "Nah, why bother when you know how it's going to end."

"Nothing lasts forever, Raphie." Casey pushed himself out from under the vehicle. "Even April and I _won't_ be together forever… we have to die someday."

Raph tossed the empty oil jug into a large trash can by the door as he considered this. "Ya I guess."

A pounding on the shop's garage door drew their attention.

"Hey, is anyone in there?" a female voice filtered through the metal door.

Casey groaned. "I'm closed."

"Oh, come on. I just need a tire patched. Please. I can't just leave this motorcycle on the street and it's such a long way to push a bike." The voice begged.

"Help her out Casey, she sounds fuckin' pitiful." Raph pushed his friend.

"Fine, but you're helping. I'll be back." Casey said as he headed for the lobby.

He called out to the woman. "Come around to the main door."

"Sweet. Thank you!" She called back.

While Raph waited in the garage Casey unlocked the lobby door and let the fetching, green eyed, brunet in.

"Thank you so much. You are the only place open anywhere right now."

"I'm not open." Casey reminded her.

"Right. Well, that just makes you my hero of the night, I guess." She said as she flashed a seductively sweet smile.

Casey chuckled uncomfortably. "Whatever I can do to help. Just have a seat and I'll get that tire fixed up."

Flashing a quick smile Casey retreated back to the garage. "Holy ass and titties, Raph, that girl is hot."

"You're married." Raph grumbled as he pushed the button to open the garage door. "To April."

"I know. And I wouldn't change it for the world, but I didn't go blind the moment I fell in love with her. Some things you can't help but notice. " Casey shot back.

Raphael rolled his eyes at his friend.

The garage door finished its journey to open and the guys looked out at the motorcycle that made Casey's jaw drop, and Raph immediately recognized.

"That girl was pushing that bike?" Casey's rhetorical question wasn't answered and his surprise wasn't shared, as Raphael had already walked away and into the lobby. "Figures." He grumbled.

She looked different this time. Still beautiful but not tuff girl sexy, this time she looked... classy. She had her brown hair up in a slightly mussed french twist, a white button up dress shirt on, with a gray knee length skirt, and a pair of gray and black heals. Not what one would ware when cruising around on a motorcycle, at least not if they wanted to keep their skin on in a possible accident. She was standing with her back to him, checking out some model cars Casey had displayed on some shelves.

He just stood there for a long moment watching the way her hips shifted as she leaned in closer to different models, the way her shirt slid over the silhouette of her torso.

She hadn't seen him. He could have just backed out of the room. She would never know he had been there. It's what he should have done. But he couldn't help it. Moving closer to her was simply something he had to do, an impulse, like a moth to a flame.

He took in a surprisingly shaky breath. Why did she make him so nervous? "That's a 1983 graduate spider." He informed her on the model car she was inspecting.

"Actually it's an 86." Arayah corrected, "If you notice it has different side skirts, mirrors, and front and rear spoilers, from the 1983 model, also note the hard rubber trunk mounted spoilers with integral 3rd stoplight."

Raph reached up and snatched the model off the shelf and started to inspect it. 'Damn it. She was right. Well so much for impressing her.' frowning Raph sat the model car back on its shelf.

"Don't worry it's an easy mistake to make."

He looked down at her, and god she flashing the smile that made his heart want to explode. "How do you know so much?"

"Had a foster dad that was a mechanic. He used to let me hang out at his garage and help." She said with a shrug. She then stood up on her tip toes to inspect Raph's shoulder, which she had stitched, bringing her spicy sweet scent with her.

That scent made his head spin with the desire to taste her soft skin. He attempted to take a calming breath, but her closeness defeated the purpose.

"Ooo, I'm good." She praised her own handy work. "You're healing up great."

"Taking a lot of forced down time." Raph griped as he took a step back.

The sound of Casey clearing his throat was heard from the door way. "Thought you were helpin'."

Raph looked between his friend and the woman that stood entirely too close to him. "Right. Your welcome to hang out in the garage if you want." He invited Arayah to join them then walked into the garage. He didn't pass through the door way without landing a stiff slug on his friends shaking shoulder.

The action only made it harder for Casey to keep in his chuckle. He had gotten control of himself however, by the time Arayah had scooped up her black leather jacket and followed them into the garage.

Arayah watched and chatted with the guys as they worked on patching the tire. In that time she learned, to her slight disappointment, that Casey was married with two kids. She learned Raphael had three brothers, which she found surprising considering the nature of his being. And that he would come up and help Casey with the cars on occasion but didn't actually work for him.

Casey and Raph learned that Arayah had grown up in foster care for reasons she deemed unimportant, which, of course, only peaked the curiosity they had to stifle. They also learned, to Raphael's delight, that they seemed to hold a lot of similar interests, from motorcycles and cars, to martial arts, from favorite foods to favored sports. They did not agree, however, on whom or what was the better addition to each aspect.

"Silva is the best, hands down. You have no room to argue with that." Arayah stated.

"Why? Cause he currently holds the belt." Raph held the tire in place as Casey bolted it into place.

"Well, that is one good reason."

"No." Raph shook his head. "I'm telling you. Given the opportunity Jacobson would own him."

"They are different weight classes. So it isn't going to happen. So…. No. Jacobson can't, and will not ever 'own' him."

"Jacobson could bulk up." Casey pointed out.

Arayah scoffed. "Ya, well the day Jacobson beats Silva is the day I sprout wings and fly to Connecticut."

Finished with the task Raph looked over the bike. "You should let me take it for a quick spin. Make sure we got that tire on there good."

Arayah chuckled as she gave Casey the cash she owed him for the job. "Only if you're ok with riding bitch."

Raph raised an eye ridge. "Your saying you'll give me ride… on the back." He looked over the motorcycle again. "This is a lot of bike for a girl, and with the weight distribution…"

Arayah slipped on her jacket, threw her leg over the bike, and started the engine. "You getting on or not?"

Raph shifted his weight as he considered the pros and cons of riding on the back of the bike. He would have his arms around her… which wasn't going to help his sleeping. He wouldn't just have his arms around her he would have her up against him, her ass practically in his lap… but he would be riding bitch. "Ya alright."

Trying not to give it much more thought he snatched his jacket, slid it on, and pulled the hood up over his head. "Bring it into the ally. We gotta stay out'a sight though, got it."

Arayah nodded her understanding and backed the motorcycle out of the garage.

Raphael started toward the back exit.

"Dude. You ditching me?" Casey called to his friend.

Raph turned around while still half stepping through the door. "Cut me some slack man. I'll be back in a bit."

Casey however knew all too well the power of a beautiful woman over the will of a man. So shaking his head and laughing to himself, he started to close up shop…. Again.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"The fall"

The motorcycle popped up into an accidental wheelie the first time Arayah gunned it across a street to another ally.

Startled, Raph threw his weight forward causing the front end of the bike to hit the ground hard. The sudden shift in weight caused the bike to fish tail.

Both Raph and Arayah were experienced bikers. So, of course, they reacted to the situation differently. Arayah adjusted her seat on the bike and punched the gas, expecting the motorcycle's desire to be upright, thanks to physics plus speed, to correct the fishtail. Raph reached forward and clasped her hand and the break while bringing his feet out to keep the bike from falling. They ended up with the motorcycle stopping hard and the back tire spinning out till Arayah let go of the throttle to elbow Raphael.

"Maybe you should let me drive." Raphael suggested.

Arayah shot him an irritated look through her thick eyelashes. "How about you keep your hands off my handle bars."

Her pursed lips and scowl left him contemplating her taste again, which only fed the scowl he shot back at her. "Then drive better."

"Want to get off?" She shot back. She was boss in every aspect of her life, and Arayah wasn't about to take shit from a giant talking turtle.

No, he definitely did not want to get off. He was thoroughly enjoying her warmth against him and the curve of her waist in his hands, despite his belief that flirting with desire was stupid. He motioned to the ally ahead. "Well, come one. Kick it already."

And kick it she did. This time they recovered from the wheelie better. The bike roared through the allies and dark under ways of the city. They tore through sewer tunnels and empty cement canals, pushing the Duu Motorcycle as hard as they dared with two riders.

Arayah brought the bike to stop behind a bar. Live music spilled out into the ally way. By the sound, it was some local rock band. She looked back at the turtle on the back of the bike. "Want to hang and listen?"

Raph looked at the bar's back door. "I can't go in there. Turtle, remember?"

Arayah pointed up. "We'll listen from the roof."

Duh, Raph mentally kicked himself. "Ya sure.'

On the way to the roof Raphael ninjaed his way to the edge of the patio, reached over and traded a five dollar bill for a couple of beers off a passing waitress' tray. It had been an unnecessary risk. But the smile Arayah treated him to, made the risk worth it.

She gladly accepted the beer and pressed it to her lips taking a long slow draw of the hoppy liquid. She mmmm'ed her approval. And Raph couldn't help feeling a decent amount of pride for appeasing her. Then he couldn't help feeling a little ridiculous for feeling so much pride over something seemingly so small.

They didn't talk while on the roof. They sat there, sipped on their beer, and listened to the music. For a while they sat next to each other and just enjoyed existing. Which was something they both often forgot to do, so easy was it to get caught up in all the trouble that went with being. It was a nice change of pace.

When the late night turned into early morning, and Arayah slipped into sleep, her head came to rest on Raph's arm. He looked down at her. His first thought was to shake her awake. But when he touched her shoulder and she scooted into his warmth, he changed his mind.

He supported her head with one hand as he moved his other arm around her and rested his hand on her hip. Then gently he brought her head to lie on his chest.

In the moments that followed he began to understand what it was his brothers kept trying for. A feeling he was stealing from a woman he barely knew.

Dawn came all too soon.

Despite Raphael being disappointed in his own weakness for the woman and the mental beating he gave himself during the hurried run home, many such nights followed.

At first Raphael gave in to the idea that the feelings he would get being around her were something he could just get out of his system. He was quickly finding, however, that the more time spent and each stolen moment or touch only caused him to crave more. He was skipping out on Casey and his brothers more and more. Regards for his own safety were being ignored. Black helicopters and men in black uniforms or suits patrolled the allies most nights making the quest to get to Arayah that much more interesting. His family's patience in his frequent disappearances was also quickly running out. Something was bound to give eventually. But he didn't care as he milked every second of the night he could in an attempt to satisfy his addiction to her, which meant he had to work harder to cover his bulky form and run faster to get home before the city was fully illuminated. The sun becoming an undefeatable and hated enemy.

All the while, Arayah was oblivious to the growing feelings of her friend. She did enjoy his company however and didn't mind his occupying what little free time she had. Running the clinic made it hard to have much of a social life outside the office. Sure there was the occasional handsome jackass from the bar or club to satisfy her more carnal needs but the hours Raph kept were perfect for meeting her social needs. Even when they didn't agree they seemed to be able to handle each other's stubborn temperament without scathing. The lack of attraction, on her part, gave the relationship an easy pressure free feel, making him a most excellent companion. So, it seemed to be a winning arrangement all around, as far as Arayah was concerned. So the nights flew by with beer, video games, and many many jaunts or motorcycle rides around the city, peppered with fights against random ruffians.

Raph now sat on a stool at her kitchen counter, shirtless as usual but wearing a pair jeans to cover what his jacket couldn't, listening to her talking about a particularly difficult patient and its owner that she had dealt with at work. The hum of helicopters buzzed distractingly over the city and Raphael knew full well he should not have ventured out of the sewers. He shouldn't have even left the layer.

"That damn dog bit me!" she exclaimed showing the small mark on her arm.

Raph chuckled.

"It's not funny." She said smacking his shoulder. She sat a plate of nachos on the counter and walked around him to her own stool.

"The way you were going off about it I thought it was big dog or something." He grinned before popping a cheesy, salsa covered chip into his mouth.

Arayah grinned as she rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Have you ever been bit by a dog? Even the little ones, fucking, hurt."

Raph crunched on another chip and as he chewed he pulled up his pant leg revealing a set of scars left by a mouth full of teeth. "Rottweiler. Don't remember why the hell we had gone into the purple dragon's hide out but that bitch of a dog sank her teeth in and was refusing to let go."

Arayah inspected the scars wide eyed. "How did you get away?" She rather enjoyed listening to his battle stories. Most of them were sparked by squabbles they would venture into in the alley ways when cruising around on their motorcycles.

"Stabbed it in the head with my sai." Raph stated nonchalantly then reached for another chip. "Still had to pry its teeth out of my leg though."

Arayah sat on a stool next to the turtle and inspected her own dog bite. "Ya I guess my story isn't as good."

They both looked up as another helicopter flew low enough to vibrate the walls with its noise.

"Want to go for a ride?" Arayah asked. "These helicopters are starting to drive me nuts."

"Umm…" If coming up was a bad idea so was going for a ride on the bikes… he had left his at home anyway because Don had been working in the 'garage', which was just the part of the layer where they parked the vehicles they had accumulated. "I walked."

"Then we'll take the car. Come on." Arayah flashed that smile he couldn't resist and jumped up to grab her jacket.

"I thought you just had the Duu." Raph commented as he grabbed the pile of stuff he had to have to get home without being recognized as a turtle.

"I just got it yesterday." She said excitedly as she climbed out the window. She leaned against the rail as Raph climbed out after her. "You are going to love it."

Carefully avoiding the helicopter lights as another flew by the two made their way to the underground garage of the building, where Arayah led Raph to a covered vehicle that was parked next to her motorcycle.

"Stand back and watch the reveal." Arayah instructed as she grabbed the corners of the tarp. "I'm kinda proud of this."

"I can see that." Raph grinned, reveling in the excitement that made Arayah all that more beautiful to him.

With a quick twist of her body Arayah whipped back the tarp revealing a Dodge charger hellcat.

Raph couldn't believe his eyes. The machine was glorious. It was Gray with black racing stripes, black leather interior and it had all the amenities.

"wha..how.. they aren't even available yet!" He exclaimed as he ran a hand over its shinny finish.

"I know a guy that owed me from a while back. So, I called in a favor. I am in debt up to my eyeballs but this baby is so worth it. It has a supercharged HEMI V8 hellcat engine, 707 horse power, it can go a quarter mile in ten point eight seconds, tops out at about 199 miles per hour, and I know you want to see how she handles." Araya smiled devilishly.

"Oh, hell ya." Raph growled out his excitement.

Arayah tossed him the keys. "Show me what you got."

Even with the seat pushed all way back it was still a tight fit due to his shell, but Raph didn't care. He smiled ear to ear as he caressed the steering wheel then reached down and turned the key and listened to the engine roar to life. "Ooh ya."

Arayah couldn't help but laugh out loud at his obvious glee.

Raphael shifted the muscle car into reverse, made sure all was clear, and punched the gas whipping it out of the parking spot. He then threw it in to gear and burned out of the parking garage like 007 escaping some horrific explosion.

Trusting in her friend Arayah sat back and enjoyed the ride, which was much like enjoying a roller-coaster.

At first he was worried about gaining the attention of the helicopters that were watching the crevasses of the city with their spot lights. But, once it was apparent that a speeding sports car was the least of their concern, Raphael tore up every possible off beaten path of Manhattan. He drifted around every possible corner and pushed the car about as hard as he could only slowing down for any hills that he might catch air on, simply because he didn't want to damage the machine that was almost as beautiful as the woman that was enjoying the rush of the speed and torque, beside him.

Maybe it was the adrenalin, or the feeling of pure freedom, maybe it was her laughter, and squeals of excitement when she felt the pull of the turn, maybe it was a mixture of all of it. He really couldn't be sure all he knew is his head and heart were floating into some abstract oblivion and suddenly he needed to breath. So he whipped the car through a series of back roads and without warning stopped.

Arayah would have flown forward if not for the seat belt that held her firmly to the seat. She shot Raph an annoyed look. "Ow. Glad to know the breaks work."

Raph ignored her surly expression as he turned to her. "Want to see something cool? I mean something really cool."

His breathless excitement and wild eyed look peaked her curiosity. "Ya ok."

Leaving his jacket and what not behind Raph climbed out of the car. Smiling in anticipation Arayah followed. Her smile faded however when she caught up to Raph. He was looking up at the Woolworth building, which was quite lovely in its architecture, something similar to a cathedral. It hadn't been what she was expecting however.

"The Woolworth building?" She asked. "It pretty cool inside but I…"

"I've never been inside." Raph stated as he pulled some shuko spikes out of his belt. "Climb on my back."

Arayah looked at him as if he had gone mad. "What?"

"Climb on to my back." Raphael repeated. "And close your eyes."

"Why do you want me to…"

"Don't you trust me?" He smiled his slack jawed smile as he tilted his head just so.

Arayah could almost consider him adorable in that moment. "Ok, but don't do anything crazy."

"Promise." He said as he crouched down so she could climb on.

Once on his back and gripping his shell she hooked her feet in his belt and closed her eyes dutifully.

Using the shuko spikes for grip Raphael began the long climb up the side of the building. It was a climb he had made many times before and his rout was memorized. It was a favorite place, of his, to hide out when life below ground had his temper raging or he just needed some quiet.

The higher they got the more the wind whipped about them. Uncertain of their whereabouts Arayah clung tighter to Raphael. Her arms moving from holding on to his shell to wrapping tightly about his shoulders till he reached the top spire. Then with one hand he held tight to the lighting rod and with the other he took a firm hold of her arm and brought her around to squat between his knees facing away from him.

"Are your eyes still closed?" His deep voice tickling her ear as he moved so his chin almost rested on her shoulder.

"Yes." Arayah answered a bit apprehensively.

He made sure his arm was wrapped firmly around her waist in case she lost her footing, then instructed softly, "Open them."

When she did she was looking down. Immediately fear took over. Her hands shot out looking for something solid finding and gripping with all her might the out sides of Raph's muscled thighs. "Holy shit! This is fucking high Raph! Why the hell did you bring me up here?"

Raph chuckled at the string of unladylike cuss words, then knowing there was no way she was going to lose the grip she had on his thighs, reached up and pushed on her chin till she gasped at the reason he had brought her here.

"Oh, god." She whispered at the sight of the city strewn out before her. It looked as if the entire sky had fallen, and a billion stars lay at their feet. The many helicopters like slow moving satellites lost amidst the never ending of space.

Arayah had never seen anything like it. In awe of the view slowly her grip on Raphael loosened and his arm around her tightened.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Raph whispered against her cheek.

"Raph, it's amazing." Arayah turned her head to look at him as she spoke, her lips just brushing the side of his mouth.

It was that accidental breath of a touch that broke down the damn of desires and fight against emotions that Raphael had been holding back, not just since he had met her, but since he had first longed for the closeness of a companion, to feel warm soft skin against his own, to taste the sweetness of another. Did he love her? He wasn't sure that was something he even knew how to do. But, god, he wanted to taste her. Just lose himself for a moment in her luscious splendor.

Perhaps it was the tenderness in his touch or perhaps the passion in his kiss that coaxed her breathless compliance. Either way his mouth brushed over hers gently at first, just tasting. And when she did not turn away, he kissed her again and again. His hunger for her growing with each pass of their lips, his tongue dancing with hers till her head spun and the world floated away, lost in the fragile and perfect moment, till the precariousness of their perch brought them floating back down to earth in their attempt to get closer to one another.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Denial"

The reality of what had just happened hit Arayah first. She had just kissed… no, strait up made out with a giant turtle. And had they not been on the slanted roof of a very very tall building she very well may have let go further, being so caught up in his intensity as she was. Suddenly all she could think about was getting off the roof.

Raph held her firm however as he slowly regained control of his own lust with slow deep breaths.

"Raph." Her voice small and unsure, for the first time since he had met her. "I want to get down now."

Swallowing down a hole other set of emotions, such as frustration, and confusion, he nodded slowly. "Ok. Climb on."

She hesitated but seeing no other way down, she complied.

She was jumping off his back before his feet had fully been placed on the ground. Not wanting to hurt him, but not wanting to mislead him, Arayah was at a loss of what to do.

Raphael watched her as she walked to the charger and opened the driver door. As she looked back at him he could swear that her discomfort and uncertainty were tangible. He opened his mouth to apologize, but stopped short, simply because he wasn't sorry. Still he felt he should say… something. He approached the passenger side of the vehicle where she stood and placed a hand on the door feeling the cold metal beneath his fingertips as he searched for what to say to her.

He swallowed hard. "Arayah…" He stopped short with a grunt, then looked down at his arm where a tranquilizer had buried its tip into his arm. "Get in the car."

The sudden urgency in his voice drove her to do as he demanded without question. Two more tranquilizers hit the door as Raphael crammed himself in to the seat.

"Drive!" Raph ordered as he adjusted the seat.

Arayah cranked the engine and threw the car in reverse and punched the gas.

The men in black uniforms walked out of the shadows. The head of the group brought his radio to his mouth. "This is ground sweep section 13, target heading east from Woolworth building."

"Copy that ground sweep. We are in rout." Replied a voice through the radio.

"What the hell was that?" Arayah asked as she wove through traffic.

"Helicopters." Raph said sleepily as he tried to focus on the tranquilizer he held in his hand.

"Helicopters? What are you…" Suddenly She was being pressed against the door by the limp weight of, what she was pretty sure was about three hundred pounds, including his shell, unconscious turtle.

"Shit!" Arayah cursed as she tried to steer and push him back into his seat. Her leg was pinned under him and stuck on the gas. "Shit, shit, shit!"

Suddenly a large black SUV pulled out from a side road, coming to a dead stop in front of her.

She spun the wheel and used the force of the turn to get Raphael's weight off of her. Her leg free she shifted gears and punched the gas again keeping the Hellcat from sliding into the SUV. She made eye contact for a split second with the suited man in the other driver's seat. Nothing was normal about him. Her foot still on the gas the car roared down the road. The SUV, keeping close behind, was joined by two others.

She wove in and out of traffic trying to lose the SUVs. The traffic on the main roads was not helping.

One of the SUVs made its way up beside her and swerved toward the Hellcat forcing Arayah onto the side walk. The people that occupied the said side walk dove for cover as she took out mailboxes, and magazine stands. "God damn it! You're making me scratch my new car you son of a bitch." She screamed at the SUV.

At the end of the block she took a hard right skidding onto the crossing road. One of the SUVs attempted to do the same, but its center of gravity was higher and vehicle rolled, crashing into the building on the corner.

"Whoo." Arayah's solo celebration was short lived as the other two SUVs turned the corner successfully.

"Shit." She said again. Then she saw her salvation in the form of a little traveled back road. Keeping her foot on the gas she pulled the E-brake as she turned causing the car's back end to drift around then released the break at just the right moment the car smoking its tires as it entered the narrow back road. Then she laid the peddle all the way to the floor. "Show me what you got baby."

The Hellcat roared as it quickly picked up speed leaving the last two SUVs well behind it. Once out of view and with the spotlights of helicopters coming down on top of them. Arayah turned off the headlights and the car as she slid just past the fence of a junkyard. There, holding her breath, she waited.

The SUVs passed her hiding spot without slowing. The helicopters buzzed over the roads and allies for a moment then moved on. They had lost her.

"And to think I was going to get this car in yellow." Arayah said as watched the retreating helicopters, then she looked over at Raphael as he snored. Shaking her head at him she sighed. "We have a lot to talk about when you wake up."

Leo paced the entrance of the layer. "This is ridiculous!"

"Why? It's not the first time he's snuck out." Mikey asked from his seat on the couch as he punched away at a video game controller. "I mean this is Raph we're talking about."

"He's right." Don agreed as leaned against the wall and watched Leo trying to keep control of his agitation.

Leonardo shook his head. "He is usually back by morning. It's midday."

"He's right." Mikey commented. With the level finished, he turned and looked at his brothers.

"Think those soldiers have something to do with this?" Don asked.

Leo stopped pacing long enough to take a deep breath. He knew Damn well that Donatello's query was a very real possibility especially with how distracted, not to mention difficult, Raph had been lately. "What about the tracers?"

Don shook his head. "Raph took it off a few weeks ago. And the one in his phone does us no good, because he keeps leaving it in his room."

"Damn." Leo whispered. Mikey was right Raph disappearing for a few hours was normal. Raph being temperamental and stubborn was normal. He was often impulsive and didn't always think stuff through, but what Mikey was not considering was that Raph wasn't blatantly careless. No, there was something definitely going on. "What the hell is up with him?"

"We're going to go look for him, right?" Mikey wondered as he leaned on the back of the couch.

"Yep." Leo nodded. "As soon as it's dark we go top side."

"Leonardo." Splinter called from the entrance to his room.

"Yes sensei?" Leo stopped his pacing to give Splinter his undivided attention.

"Do not come back without him." The possibility of the men searching the city belonging to Bishop had Splinter highly concerned. He had had no peace since his sons' run in with the men in the ally. His concern was in what would be left if Bishop got ahold of one of them again.

Yawning loudly Raphael slowly stretched. His right hand ran along leather walls and his left along soft fabric and skin. He opened his eyes and took in the yellowed light of the space. Suddenly He shot up, the last thing he remembered…was passing out.

"You alright?"

Raph looked down at Arayah's stretched out form, her shirt lifting enough to show the creamy skin of her lower stomach. He blinked at her as he tried to process her question. "Ya." He finally answered. "Where the, fuck, are we?"

Arayah raised an eye brow. "Um, the car."

Not appreciating her sarcasm Raphael glared at her. "And where is the car, smart ass?"

"The parking garage under my apartment building."

He looked out the windshield. Heavy, thick fabric covered the windows. "What's over the car?"

Arayah looked out the windshield to see what he was talking about. "I put the tarp over the car."

Raph's forehead furrowed as he tried to wrap his head around why the hell they were sitting in a car under a tarp in a parking garage. "What the hell?"

"Well, what would you have me do? Figure out how to drag you up the stairs to my apartment without being seen." Arayah adjusted her seat up. "You want to tell me what you know about the helicopters, and why you kissed me?"

Raph's eyes locked with hers. To be honest he didn't want to talk about either. Going by the disgruntled look on her face, however, she wasn't going to take no for an answer. So, he started with the easiest explanation. "Well, we don't really know who is shooting tranq darts at us. But, they are connected with the helicopters that are searching the city. We think it might be connected to this fucker named Bishop. At least I think it has Bishop written all over it."

"Wait, who is Bishop?" Arayah interrupted.

Raphael looked to the floor as the memories that fed nightmares floated up like ghosts. His fingers slowly traced an old scar that ran down the center of his plastron. "He's a government agent." He finally spoke. "He's bad news, for my brothers and me anyways."

"Shouldn't you be laying low than?" Arayah frowned.

Clenching his jaw and dreading where this conversation was going to end up, he gave a small nod.

Arayah was confused. If he should be lying low… "Why aren't you?"

Raph looked up at her. He didn't say a word, he didn't need to. His expression told Arayah everything. She was the reason. Which meant the kiss had been more than just a kiss, even if he hadn't quite figured it out yet.

Arayah sighed, how the hell was she supposed to let him down easy? "Raph…"

He didn't give her a chance to talk. He knew what was coming. So, He grabbed his things and pushed open the door.

"Raph." Arayah called after him as he fought to get out from under the tarp.

Once free he couldn't seem to get away fast enough. Her voice echoing through the parking garage as she called his name, her footsteps padding on the concrete as she ran to catch up.

"Raphael, will you just listen?!"

Raph stopped and spun around causing Arayah to run into him. "For what?!" He shouted, the impending rejection bearing down on him with its full weight. "So you can tell me what I already know! I know I ain't what you want Arayah, why the hell would you?! I'm a fucking freak that lives in the god damn sewers!"

He towered over her, that menacing look he got when he was angry, that she found terrifying. It hadn't bothered her so much in the past, but his temper had never been directed at her before, not like this.

She opened her mouth in an attempt to calm him or correct his thinking… but he was right. That was exactly how she thought of the situation that was him. She liked him, he was amazing, but he wasn't human, and his life was not one she wanted to live. It is one thing to be a small part of it. To experience him and his world on her own terms as a friend, but to dive into it and forsake everything she had worked so hard for in her own life… that was another. "Raph I…I'm sorry."

Raph's face twisted from frustrated to downright enraged. "Don't you do that. Don't you fucking apologize to me! I don't need your fucking pity!" He took a few steps back, to put some distance between them, shaking his head. "I'm so fucking stupid. I thought… I could just… that it would just go away, but you…" He shook a finger at her as he continued to back up. "You consume my thoughts and get me all fucked up and can't even think strait!"

The shock on her face threatened to take away his last fraying thread of self-control. He needed to leave, now. Before he did something he would really regret. So, pulling on his coat and other things to cover his appearance, he ran. As fast as he could he tried to outrun that look, the denial, the rejection, all of it but in the sewers in the dark and alone it all caught up to him. He responded with a fit of unrestrained rage aimed at an undeserving wall till his knuckles bled and he could no longer catch his breath.

"Raph!" A certain blue bandanna wearing brother rushed to his side followed closely by the other two.

"Fuck." Raph whispered. Yep, something had to give.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Inquisition"

Raphael sat on the couch and stared through the T.V., his blank expression shedding no light on the inner storm of turmoil that rolled and thundered through him. He hated her! The way he reacted to her, the way he wanted her, and how she didn't want him. He hated how she haunted his dreams in sultry motions, the feel of her in his arms, and god, the taste of her kiss. Most of all he hated how he missed her. He missed tearing through the city with her on motorcycles. He missed talking to her on her bed while they watched some stupid show about nothing, her laugh, he had never thought of himself as funny until he had heard her laugh and god, when she would smile… He would have done anything to earn that smile. He missed fighting random groups of thugs next to her. From the beginning she had moved with him as if they had been training together forever, as if they were meant to be. His inner storm grew at the ridiculousness of the thought. His heart ached each beat feeling labored and tired.

"Hey Raph, food is ready." Michelangelo said as he hopped onto the couch next to his brother.

Raph continued to stair through the T.V. as he answered sullenly. "I'm fine."

"Dude you gotta eat…" Mikey's forehead furrowed with concern.

"I'm fine!" Raph snapped, giving his brother a dark glare.

Mikey frowned, got up from the couch and sulked into the kitchen.

Raphael had literally sat on the couch and said almost nothing since they had come across him, bleeding fists and out of breath, in the sewers. Leo had tried to pull some explanation from his brother, but Raph had given him… nothing, which they all found much more concerning than if Raph had yelled or thrown something like usual. Instead he had simply ignored their questions and sulked home to sit on the couch and stare off into space.

A few moments later a plate of food was sat down on the coffee table in front of Raph.

"Damn it! I told you I was…" Raph stopped his tirade short when he realized Splinter was frowning down at him. "I'm not hungry, sensei." He explained in a much softer tone.

"You have not been hungry in days." Splinter crossed his arms as he looked down at the most stubborn of his sons. "Either eat or tell me why."

Raph stared at the plate of food for a moment then deciding he really didn't want to talk about Arayah, sighed and took the plate.

Splinter waited.

Knowing his father wasn't going to move until Raphael ate, he let out another agitated sigh, and took a bite. "There, I'm eating." He said around the food he half-heartedly chewed.

Splinter sat down next to his son. His son rolled his eyes and groaned.

"I don't want to talk about it." Raphael stated.

"Who said anything about talking?" Splinter said as he raised a furry eyebrow. He then proceeded to pick up the remote and find a desirable program as if he had no interest in Raph's upset.

Raphael knew better. Splinter would sit there pretending to not care until Raph broke. That's how this game worked, and it only worked when splinter did it. If anyone else had ever given it a try they found themselves literally kicked form the couch, or whatever space Raph occupied at the time.

Stubbornly Raph took another bite from the plate he held pushing, what seemed tasteless, food around in his mouth before swallowing.

*scene change*

"He was a good boy." Arayah informed the owner of a lovely golden retriever as she walked into the receiving area and forced a smile. She was worried. It had been four days since Raphael had left her standing shocked in the bottom of her building's parking garage. He had been obviously beyond angry and hurt, and it killed her to know she had done that to him. She might not have shared his feelings for her but that didn't mean she didn't care. She had counted him a friend and now it would seem, since he had not come by or answered her calls, that was no longer the case or he hadn't made it home. Neither of which were things she knew how to fix.

The trouble had started with that kiss, in her mind anyway. She shouldn't have kissed him back. She had known it when it happened but resistance had been futile. Raphael had such a powerful presence and an undeniable passion around him. All she could do was melt into him when it had happened. Even now the thought of it caused her heart to pick up its pace.

A sharp bark brought her back to the here and now. She picked up the next chart. "Toby is up next." She called out sporting another forced smile. Her smile faltered when a little boy walked up holding a red eared slider with a cracked shell.

Pushing the resemblance it held to her missing friend aside she looked at the boy's mother. "Follow me."

Arayah looked over the turtle and had the vet tech get the needed adhesive and strips for the little sliders shell. "So, what happened?"

The little boy frowned and started to fuss, reminding Arayah of one of the many reasons she didn't want any children. Never mind the fact she was pretty sure she would make a terrible mother for reasons from a past she didn't want to think about at the moment.

"He decided the turtle needed to learn how to ride a bike." The mother frowned. "It didn't end well for anybody."

Large tear drops rolled down the boy's face.

Feeling she should give the boy some insight on turtles, Arayah started in, "First and foremost a red eared slider, like Toby here, belongs in an aquarium or a pond. Not on a bicycle. They are more fragile than they look." 'Especially emotionally.' She added the last note in her thoughts.

The door opened and the secretary peeked in. "Dr. Labelle, umm, there is someone here to see you."

Arayah frowned as she took the medical supplies from the returning tech. "I'm with a patient, Sarah."

Sarah looked out and down the hall. Then back at her boss. "They are in your office."

Arayah's eyes narrowed at the serious breach of privacy. She turned to the Vet tech, "Can you handle this?" she asked as she motioned to the little turtle on the steel table.

"Ya of course." The tech nodded.

With no more to say Arayah stormed from the examination room, and down the hall. Her first intent was to ignore the two men in suits and sunglasses standing outside her office, but that changed when one of them grabbed her arm before she could reach the door handle.

Arayah glared at the man. "Let go of my arm." She growled her voice low and full of warning.

"I have Dr. Labelle here." The man said to the small radio on his shoulder. Then apparently getting information from some unseen source, he nodded. He released her arm and stepped back. "You may enter."

"Damn right. It's my office." Arayah snapped as she threw open the door.

A tall, dark haired man wearing a black suit stood in the center of the office with his back to her, legs slightly apart, and his hands clasped behind his back. He turned his head slightly and looked at her over the top of his sun glasses.

"Hey you can't just walk into my office and…" That's when the state of the office hit her. It was completely torn apart. Books and, papers were strewn across the floor. drawers pulled out and dumped even her jar for pencils had been dumped out. "What the hell!" Her apple green eyes lighting up with rage.

Slowly the man turned to face her. His face void of any expression appearing almost board despite the woman that yelled at him. "I am here about a turtle." He said coolly.

She looked up from the mess that had been her office "A turtle? Well you can wait in the waiting room like everyone else." Arayah snapped.

The man adjusted his sun glasses. "Actually, I am interested in four turtles. Four LARGE turtles."

Arayah's brow furrowed. She was a vet not an exotic pets dealer. "What are you talking about?"

The man came closer to stand just within arm's reach. Face still void of expression "Do the names Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, or Raphael mean anything to you?"

Arayah's features shifted at Raphael's name and the man smiled in a way that made Arayah's skin crawl.

"Who are you?" she asked in a slow whisper.

"My name Dr., is Agent John Bishop."

Arayah's eye's widened, as she remembered the forlorn and broken look that had crossed Raphael's face when he had said Bishop's name in the car. Suddenly she felt that she was very much in danger. She spun around to grab the door handle, but her plan to escape was decimated when Bishop grabbed her arm and wrenched it back painfully.

Arayah's instincts kicked in. Using the momentum of his pull, she spun around her fist balling up as she swung her arm about.

Bishop was faster than she had anticipated, however. He caught her fist squeezing down and twisting her wrist painfully till she yelped. His eyes sparked with antagonistic amusement. "Your cooperation is highly recommended."

"Let go, you bastard!" She spat angrily.

He swept his leg out catching her's, her balance not helped by the pencil skirt and heels she wore, knocking her hard on her back. He grinned down at her. "But I do enjoy this more."

She rolled out of his reach and quickly found her feet, bolting to put her desk between them. As she rounded the Desk she snatched a scalpel that sat amidst the mess of things that had been scattered across her desk. She wrapped her hand around it as one who had done hundreds of surgeries then raised her arms ready to defend herself.

That creepy ass grin of Bishop's only spread further across his lips. He honestly hoped she would put up a fight, to make this otherwise mundane mission at least a little fun. From what he understood she was not what she appeared. And god, he hoped so, because up until right now she had appeared to be like most women in her position; attractive, well dressed, scared, and week. He needed something he could use... and the turtles, well, at least one. He had hoped more for the level headed Leonardo, or the intelligent Donatello, both traits easily shaped to his needs. But Raphael was not without his desirable traits, He had the traits of a decent soldier, if the obstinate trait could be eradicated or shaped. The turtle in question had also stayed awake through a great deal more than his brother's had during Bishop's experimentation and exploration of their unique being.

For a long moment they stood there waiting to see who would make the first move.

Arayah's body screamed at her to run, normally she would stand her ground take the man on. But he had frightened even Raphael, whom she had viewed as nearly fearless. So she listened to her body and made another beeline for the door.

Bishop moved at her and she swung, her small weapon in hand and her outfit greatly restricting her ability to use her legs.

He dodged her attack with infuriating speed and agility. Side stepping every jab and slice with ease until their violent dance reached the center of the office.

She swung again and he caught her wrist.

Again he used her outfit's restriction against her this time slamming and bending her back against the desk.

Arayah reached up pressing her thumb against a sensitive pressure point in the jaw, hoping to get him to back up just enough.

He twisted his face away from her hand as he grabbed hold of her attacking hand and twisted it up above her head. He then thrust his thigh between her legs so forcefully her skirt split all the way up her thigh.

Arayah cried out at the sudden, unwanted, and unforgiving presence of Bishops thigh being painfully pressed against her pelvis.

He grinned finding a great deal of sick pleasure in her pain. But even as he twisted her hand and forced her to drop the scalpel he was unaware of two mistakes he had made.

He had freed her leg and underestimated her flexibility.

Gritting her teeth against the pain in her wrists and lady bits, she swung her one free leg up catching her, red high heeled, foot under Bishop's jaw. Flexing the toned muscles of her leg she pulled him back just enough to bring the leg he straddled up into his groin.

The sudden shot of pain that shot up through his groin and into his belly and spine coupled with the pressure of the Veterinarian's surprising leg strength, Bishop had no choice but to step back.

Arayah didn't wait for him to right himself before she thrust the heel of her hand into the agent's nose. She then slammed her foot into the side of his face with a round house kick sending him sprawling to the floor, his sun glasses flying across the room and shattering against the wall.

The attack gave Arayah just enough time to get to the door and get it partially open, but not enough to get through.

Bishop slammed his body into the Arayah crushing her body against the door as it slammed shut. He then wrapped his fist in her, now loose, hair and yanked throwing her across the room and into the desk.

As Bishop approached the woman trying to wright herself, he wiped the blood that trickled down from his nose and looked down at it as if it was something he was unfamiliar with. He then caught Arayah by the back of her head and shoved her forehead forward into the desk.

Suddenly Arayah was seeing stars and grabbing hold of the top of the desk trying to desperately pull herself from the floor in a dizzy stumble. The stars and dizziness disappeared as they were replaced by a worse and shocking pain. Blinking she stared at the scalpel that pinned her left hand to desk.

Bishop grinned at her shocked and paling expression. "Let's stop playing games . Tell me where the turtles are."

Arayah looked up at him, her fear of the man making her stomach turn. Her eyes darted back and forth as she thought of any way out of this, anything she could give him. "I don't know."

Bishop didn't believe her. So, he yanked the scalpel up and then began to drag it further down her hand slicing her flesh in a smooth motion.

She closed her eyes and hissed against the pain, refusing to give him the pleasure of pulling another cry from her. Letting out a relieved breath when she felt the painful pull against her flesh stop, she slowly looked back up into the agent's soulless eyes.

"Are they really that important to you?"

That question seethed through her. Was he? Was her friendship with Raphael worth this torture or whatever else this devil had planned. Not that it mattered. Because, she didn't know where he was.

"He's a turtle." Tears streamed down Arayah's cheeks at the whispered statement.

"Where are they?"

Slowly Arayah looked back at the gash in her hand, blood pooling and trickling down on to the desk top, wet, and shining crimson in the light. Her heart clenched till it hurt at what she had said. Yes Raphael is a turtle but he is more than just an animal, and even if he was hurt and angry with her right now she was still a friend. And if she had learned anything in her life those were hard to come by.

"If one sees evil and does nothing, they are as guilty as those that committed it." Her words were barely audible and Bishop had to lean in to hear.

He frowned. He was getting tired of having to repeat himself to the woman that was now glairing defiantly up at him. "Fine."

He moved swiftly catching Arayah by the throat and throwing her down on to the desk top, her blood staining her white shirt. He pinned her there face down with the weight of his body. With his left hand he pushed the side of her face down bearing down on her beautiful features. He then brought his right hand up, holding the scalpel he hovered it in front of her face. "You have lovely eyes. Such a unique shade of green. I do believe I will take one…or both. Unless you would like to tell me…"

Arayah was shaking beneath him. A mix of fear and rage, that she didn't hold back as she screamed out, "I don't know, you son of a bitch! You're wasting your fucking time!"

"Very well." Bishop said coldly.

Arayah closed her eyes as he brought the blade to the edge of her optical orbit. 'God, he's going to take the whole thing lids and all.' She choked down her fear as she prepared for the pain.

The cold metal of the blade pressed against her flesh, then stopped. Suddenly she was released the scalpel clinked against the desk top.

Arayah slid to the ground to watch Agent bishop, followed by the two door agents, walking away. Down the hall, across the empty waiting room, and out the door as if nothing had transpired.

She sat there dumbfounded and terrified as sirens and flashing blue lights filled the air.

Sarah, the secretary, had called the police. Though little more could be done, Arayah could not have been more grateful to their timing.

"Do you have anyone you can call?" The nurse at the E.R. asked her.

Arayah thought on the question for a long moment, then gave a slow nod.

The nurse smiled sweetly then left the room

With a deep sigh Arayah looked down at her cell phone and stared down at the two numbers that were in it. One read "The clinic" the other, "Raphael".

Sniffling a little she dialed the only friend she really had.

*scene change*

A plate of food and four shows later splinter still patiently sat on the couch next to Raph. The other brothers had filtered in and out and were now going about other things.

Raph shifted on the couch. "It's stupid." He finally stated.

"And yet you let it continue to dominate your thoughts." Splinter said simply.

'Let!? Let!? She snuck in some side door and completely tied up my every thought and held all my senses captive! I didn't let her do anything!' He wanted to yell. Instead he crossed his arms and sulked into the couch glaring ahead, his frustration with just being him rolling over and over.

His phone buzzed to life in his pocket and he pulled it out to see who it was. Arayah's name came across the screen. Grumbling he stood up and shoved the phone back into his pocket and started walking toward the garage. The phone began to buzz again and unable hold it together any longer Raphael threw the phone causing it to go flying across the layer, hitting the gowned and exploding in to hundreds of shattered pieces.

"Keep breaking them and I'm gunna stop making them for you." Donatello frowned from the kitchen where he had gone for another cup of coffee.

"Shut it, Don!" Raph snapped. Turning on his heal and storming off to his room.

"Well at least he is kinda back to normal." Mikey said from where he sat at the kitchen table drawing in a sketch book.

*scene change*

Arayah sat in the hospital bed looking down at her cell, her calls going unanswered. She had always been alone, since birth. An infant found in some unknown alley that a heroin addict had chosen to "shoot up" in. By the time social services found Arayah at age four locked under a sink. She was starving and so dehydrated she couldn't move, and had witnessed things that no child should see. But even then she had not felt alone. She had never realized that she was, just that she didn't want to live a life like those she had witnessed, and so she had fought tooth and nail to get what she had and where she was… which was apparently in a hospital bed, so very very alone.

Wishing more than anything in the world that Raphael would, or could by some magic, show up and wrap his strong arms around her, and carry her back to that roof top where she had returned his passionate kiss when the universe had seemed to lay at their feet. Before she had hurt him before she had lost his friendship.

Not sure what else to do Arayah curled up in the crisp sheets and quietly cried, the beeps and sounds of the hospital filling the empty room.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Insult to injury"

Raphael stretched and then reached into the cupboard for a cup. Looking at the clock and noting that it would be evening soon he couldn't help but wonder what Arayah was up to. Then frowning and pushing down the heat and emotion she stirred in him, He cracked his neck as he slid the cup under the faucet and turned it on. Raph's eyes widened and he let out a startled yelp as Ice cold water hit his face.

"What the hell!" He yelled as he dropped the cup in the sink and scrambled past the spraying water quickly turning it off. He blinked away his shock as he leaned in to the hand sprayer and found a rubber band wrapped tightly around its handle. Catching ahold of the rubber band he ripped it off the sprayer, pulling the sprayer part way out with the action. Hearing talking behind him Raph slowly turned to glair as two of his brothers walked in to the kitchen, most likely to get water themselves now that training was over for the day.

Donatello and Michelangelo both stood and took in Raph's dripping wet and angry form.

"Don't look so upset Raph, you needed a shower anyways." Michelangelo grinned mischievously, giving himself away as the culprit. Of course the likely hood of it being any one else was unlikely.

Don dove out of the way as Raph lunged across the kitchen.

Mikey squeaked and took off running just slipping out of Raphael's reach.

"Son of a… I'm gunna peal you right out of your shell Mikey!" Raph bellowed as he took off after Mike.

Mikey leapt over the couch gracefully with a beautiful landing in between the couch and coffee table.

Splinter looked up at his son and was about to ask him what he was doing when Raphael's body came barreling over the couch slamming into Mikey. With the combined weight at between five to six hundred bounds, including shells, the coffee table didn't stand a chance.

Splinter narrowed his eyes at his sons as they beat on one another. Between Michelangelo's antics and Raphael's temper, especially over the last two weeks, Splinter could take no more. They had been confined in the layer for far too long. "Enough!"

Everything froze. Leo mid stride on his way from the Dojo, Don mid gulp of water, Mikey mid block, and Raph straddling his brother on a mess of broken wood, his fist in mid strike. Everyone looked at Splinter.

Splinter took a slow and calming breath. "We are going to go to April…"

"Woohoo! Top side." Mikey fist pumped and Raph smacked him upside the head, earing himself about as threatening a glare as Mikey could muster.

With it quiet again Splinter continued. "We are taking the van. We will do nothing to draw attention to ourselves. Is that understood?"

Never mind that his sons were all adults and Splinter had long since appointed Leonardo as the full clan leader leaving himself as just his son's adviser. If he didn't do something he was going to go senile. And though Leo was a good leader and protected his family fervently he was not always good at recognizing a little fun was in order.

So April was called for a game night and everyone piled into the van.

Leonardo looked out at the sky as he drove. Dry lightning streaked across the sky giving the promise that they would have the cover of rain and would not be plagued by the thrumming of helicopters buzzing overhead. Leo let out a grateful breath. At first he had thought Slinter had lost his mind, suggesting they go to the surface, But he had to agree that everyone was getting some form of cabin fever so he hadn't argued.

A few minutes later everyone sat around April and Casey's table, a competitive game of Spoons in full swing. Leo watched the six silvery spoons intently as he picked up cards looked at them and quickly passed them on to Mikey who bobbed about to the music on the radio, humming or singing to whatever song was on as he sorted through the card and passed them to Raph. Raph, not really wanting to play the game but having been pressured into it by everyone including a very stubborn five year old, simply frowned at each card and passed it on without really looking at it. Casey picked up each card Raph halfheartedly slid to him with the help of the five year old, Elizabeth, and the two year old Mathew that both insisted on sitting in his lap for the game. The two year old occasionally shouting out a number he recognized on the cards before they were sent to Donatello, who was deciding what the mathematical probability of getting the cards he wanted. The fact the he could do this with at least three decks was why they didn't play poker with him. If a card wasn't wanted it was quickly passed to April who was trying to pay attention to her hand, the spoons, and not laugh at her struggling husband. She would then pass her unwanted, and occasionally wanted, cards to Splinter. Splinter played competitively against his family, but he was mostly just reveling in the momentary half silence and lack of bickering.

Mikey started singing along to a Maroon 5 song as it sounded from the radio. "here I am waiting, I'll have to leave soon." His voice slipped into humming a part he didn't know, then started singing again. "We knew this day would come, we knew it all.."

"Quiet Mike." Raph grumbled. Not wanting to hear the love song in stereo… or at all.

Michelangelo, apparently feeling the need to antagonize his brother, leaned in and sang louder. "This is our last night! But it's late and I'm trying not to sleep!"

"Knock it off!" Raphael growled out as he glared down his brother.

"Make me." Mike challenge, being sick of Raph's two week grump fest. Normally Mikey could tease and have at least a little bit of fun with Raph. But the turtle had been downright mean since they had found him bloodying his fists on the sewer wall.

Raph accepted the challenge. He sat down his cards, which should have alerted Mikey that something was coming, hooked his foot behind Mike's chair then placed his hand on his brother's shoulder and shoved. The chair tipped backwards and Mikey ended up sprawled out of the floor.

Feeling pleased with his solution Raph turned back to the game, which had stopped. Raph looked over his cards at the glowering faces.

"No push!" Mathew said shaking his tiny finger at Raph.

Raph was not about to be lectured by a two year old! He opened his mouth to tell the child so but was interrupted by Leo's stern voice.

"That was uncalled for, Raphael." Leo snapped as he gave mike a hand up.

Mikey righted his chair and sat in it. "What the heck is your problem, man?"

"You're my fucking problem!" Raph snapped as he pulled a couple of quarters out of his pocket and tossed them on the table, for the swear jar, before April got on him about his poor language.

April glared at the change Raph had thrown on the table. She had put out the swear jar in an attempt to get Raph to stop swearing in ear shot of the kids. When Elizabeth's first word had been shit, April had been furious with both her husband and Raph. The jar had worked on Casey but Raph would just through change out on the counter and table and keep going unfazed.

"You've had an attitude problem for a couple of months, Raph, and it's only gotten worse as of late." Leo pointed out. "I don't think Mike is the source of your problem."

"MY problem?" Raph questioned as if he hadn't just knocked his other brother on his back.

"Yes Raph, your attitude, sneaking out to god knows where, removing your tracker. This is a problem."

Raph sat back and crossed his arms then said hottly, "Not for me."

"For the family." Leo said slowly threw his clenched jaw. He had been trying to figure out how to deal with Raph's sneaking out without having to fight with him, which Leo knew wasn't going to happen but had tried to figure something out anyway, and then Raph just stopped. Then the challenge had become getting him to eat or leave his room.

Leo's statement filled Raph with guilt at how he had been ignoring his own safety and thus the safety of his family for a girl. God, he had been so stupid! The frustration that surrounded Arayah began to simmer and boil.

"You sayin' I don't give a shit?" Raph said slowly, throwing whatever change he had in his pocket onto the table.

"Take a walk, Raph." April's voice floated across the table before Leo could answer and escalate the situation further.

Raph gave her an irritated look. That April ignored.

"Now!" she clipped out the word in a way only a mother could, making the large turtle jump a little.

His eye's widened for a second, then not wanting to get into it with the firey red head right now, decided to do as she said.

"Fine." He growled as he stood, shoved past Leo and let himself out the window to stand on the fire escape. He held tight to the railing as he tried to calm himself. Mikey hadn't really been the problem. It had been the damn love song he had been singing. He had hoped with Arayah not able to call him he would to start to forget about her. He had been wrong. She had tormented him in his dreams and plagued his thoughts since the moment he had stormed off. He wanted to go see her, not necessarily to apologize, but just to be. Pretend the world wasn't tearing its self apart outside, that his mind wasn't torturing him, and his heart didn't hurt so much.

The window opened behind Raph, laughter and happy chatter spilled out while Casey crawled through. The sounds then became muffled as the window shut.

Casey came to lean on the railing next to his friend and handed him a beer.

Raph accepted the beer then after took a long draw before leaning back against the railing staring in at his family squabbling playfully for the spoons that sat in the middle of the table. Unable to stuff down his annoyance enough to join in their myth, he let out a long sigh.

"She's got ya that bad, huh?" Casey smiled knowingly at his friend.

Raph eyed his friend suspiciously, "What the fuck, are you talking about?"

"Raph, I have hardly seen your sorry shell since the night you took off with that girl with the kick ass Duu." Casey took a sip of his beer. "It ain't exactly hard to figure out where you've been."

"Casey, I ain't been up here cause of all the helicopters, and shit buzzing around." Raph lied.

"Bull shit. You ain't been home." Casey scoffed. "Every time you disappear Leo calls here to see if I know where you're at."

"You tell him?" Raph asked, wondering if Leo knew and was just letting Raph's stupidity run its course, which was unlike Leo. At least in Raph's opinion, he honestly didn't know how many times Leo had covered for him in his life or let Raph spin out his own demise while he worked through something up until Leo felt he had to step in before Raph got himself or someone else hurt.

"No." Casey answered. "You should though."

"Hell, no."

"Why not? No one's gunna give you any shit. It's not like they all haven't attempted to date here and there through the years." Casey shrugged.

Raph frowned and shook his head. "Ya with me right there tellin' them how fucking stupid they were for thinking anything could work."

"So you were wrong. Big deal, own it and get over it, m man."

"I wasn't wrong." Raph chugged back the rest of his beer and dropped the bottle into a dumpster below. They both stilled as they listened for the crash of the bottle.

"That sucks." Casey watched the forlorn look of heart ache settle on his friend's face then decided not to push for what had happened, "Want to go putts in the shop?"

Not wanting to go back inside with the others Raph shrugged "Sure."

Casey tapped on the glass to let April know where he was going then started down the fire escape.

Raph pulled his hood up and followed his friend across the street. It wasn't until he had come all the way into the garage, and had followed Casey past an SUV, that he saw it. A gray and black Dodge Charger Hellcat complete with cosmetic damage from a chase through the city. Immediately he could feel his anger bubbling. Why hadn't Casey told him that Arayah had been here? "What the hell?"

Casey turned and followed Raph's gaze to the flashy car. "Oh ya, forgot about that. Might be the other reason why I know where you've been."

Raph's eyes narrowed as he decided whether or not he was going to kick his friend's ass for not telling him Arayah had been there, or at least warned him that her car was there.

Casey broke under Raph's glare. "She wanted me to do the work on the car, man. In my defense I didn't know there was bad blood between you two. She asked about you."

Raph's features softened and were replaced by surprise. "She asked about me?"

"Ya." Casey nodded. "Asked how you were doing. Said you guys had been hanging out but you stopped answering her calls." As an afterthought Casey added. "She get into an accident or something?"

Raph furrowed his forehead as he listened to Casey explain the car. He wanted to reach out and touch it. Run his hands along its smooth curves. Suddenly a deep frown settled on his face as he thought about how she had acted after he had kissed her. She hadn't been disgusted nor had she been angry just… uncomfortable. Raph sighed. Maybe he was being too hard on her. She had always been accepting and kind to him and though she often unknowingly drove him mad with both her beauty and by being so damn enjoyable to be around, she had never led him on… not up until he had kissed her. She had kissed him back though… "Did you say an accident?"

"Ya. She was kinda bruised up had stitches in her hand."

"She tried to call a couple of weeks ago." Twice as a matter of fact, which she didn't usually do… matter of fact she didn't usually call at all. He had almost always called her to see if she was busy. Suddenly a ball of guilt settled into his stomach. He hadn't been awake for their escape from the men armed with tranquilizers, and the car had been tarped, so he couldn't be sure if the damage to the vehicle would have been from an accident. It didn't seem to be enough damage to warrant the driver needing stitches though. He should have answered the damn calls. He mentally kicked himself.

He needed to check on her. Know what Casey was talking about. He reached for his phone but it wasn't there since he had smashed it.

"I gotta go." Raph stated and he turned and left the garage walking out and into the street as rain began to fall slowly working its way into down poor as Raph made his way to the roofs of the city and head to Arayah's.

"Where's Raph?" Leo asked as Casey walked through his front door instead of through the window he had left out of.

Casey gave a shrug, not wanting to rat out his friend. "Gone."

"Damn!"

Two little shocked faces looked up at Leo. Leonardo sighed and put some change in the curse jar and turned to Splinter. "What am I supposed to do about him?"

Splinter had been contemplating that question for years and had come no closer to an answer. Raph often seemed to be stubborn for the sake of being stubborn; fighting tooth and nail for every inch of the proverbial rope he would eventually hang himself with. It wasn't until he was strangling in the noose his own choices that he would let anyone help him. splinter sighed.

"I snuck another tracker on him a couple days ago." Don said as he shuffled the cards. "We can go after him if you don't want to give him time to cool off and come home on his own."

Leo shook his head. "No, this stops now. I'm done worrying about him with helicopters and soldiers running through the city." Leo turned to April and Casey and gave a quick bow. "Thank you for the evening April and Casey."

Without another word Leo lead the way out the window followed by his other two brothers.

"Hold up!" Casey called as he grabbed his golf bag full of different sports equipment that doubled as weaponry. Then, not about to miss the impending argument between the brothers, jumped out the window leaving April, Splinter, and the children to keep each other company.

They caught up to Raphael about a block from his destination, little did they know. Leo used the cover of the pouring rain to cover him as he broke off from the others and closed in on his brother, passing him and sliding to a stop in front of him.

Raph considered just barreling through Leo just for standing in his way, but skidded to a stop in front of him instead. "Why you following me, Leo?"

The other three came to a stop behind Raphael giving him the feeling of being ambushed or hunted. Which didn't sit well.

"Maybe because you are just taking off… again. Raph it's dangerous to go out alone right now. Why are you refusing to see that?"

Raph spread his arms up to the sky the rain falling and sinking into his soaked sweater. "There ain't nothing in the skies right now Leo. No choppers with spotlights." He dropped his arms to his side. "I think I'm good."

Raph tried to walk past Leo.

Leo shot out a hand across Raph's chest. "Where are you going?"

Raph looked down at Leo's out stretched arm then up at his face. Raph's eye's narrowing dangerously. "None of your fucking business, Leo."

"You see Raph, that's where you're wrong. I am leader of this clan, I am charged with keeping our family safe, and…"

"You're power trippin'! I don't gotta give you a play by play, Leo! I ain't some fucking kid! So go fuck yourself!" Raph shouted as he shoved Leo back.

The three spectators, grateful the rain was warm, made their way to the building ledge to stay out of the way and watch the scene unfold.

Raph attempted to walk past Leo again, who promptly blocked his path.

"You're reckless behavior is going to get you or someone else hurt." Leo explained for the four hundred millionth time in his life.

"How many times have we heard that?" Mike commented from his seat on the ledge.

"Want an exact number?" Don asked, gaining a chuckle from Mikey and Casey, but a glare from Leo.

"Only if you don't get, the hell, out of my way, Leo!" Raph threatened as he tried to side step around his brother, regaining his attention.

Leo moved in front of his brother again, determined to get control of the situation and get his brother to just understand that the rules applied to him, and that he couldn't just blow them off 'cause he wanted to… do whatever the hell it was he wanted to do. He didn't get a chance to get the words out though.

He saw Raph pull his fist back so Leonardo easily blocked the first strike, and then the next few. His arms stinging as Raph's punches increased in force.

It was stupid really, to get so upset over his brother's concern and just wanting to know what was going on. But, Raph didn't want to tell him. Partly because he was embarrassed that Arayah had not returned his affections, or that he had even sought them out in the first place. That he had ignored his own advice to his brothers to 'just forget about girls, because the four of them were mutants' and 'it was never going to happen.' He didn't want to explain it. he didn't think he should have to. Even if Leo was right about Raph being reckless and not taking the dangers into consideration before taking off on his own. But he didn't want them to know. So, he swung away. Pushing Leo back, hoping that they would just let him be. But the stubborn leader wasn't backing down.

Growling Raph threw his arms up in frustration, giving up on the tactic. "Just leave me, the fuck alone!"

Raph didn't wait for Leo to give any sign of compliance, He just walked past him. He just needed a little bit of time, just long enough to make sure Arayah was ok. To see it for himself and know what accident Casey had been talking about.

But Leo wasn't going to let it be. Clenching his jaw and determined to squelch Raphael's insubordination Leo stormed after him.

So, Raph landed a backwards thrust kick striking Leonardo square in the chest sending the surprised turtle stumbling backwards across the slick roof.

Leo reached down to catch himself twice. Both times he able to correct himself just enough to not land sprawled out in a puddle. The loose gravel and slick water made it so he couldn't quite get his feet under him, however. His back was to Donatello when his carapace struck Don's plastron with a loud "Crack!" knocking Don off balance.

Don gasped as he pitched backwards and reached out to find something solid to grab onto catching hold of Michelangelo's rain slicked hand.

"Don!" Mike cried out as he tried to tighten his grip to no avail.

Raphael, and time, stopped in mid stride at Mikey's panic stricken cry. He turned to see two of his brothers and Casey staring over the edge of building as if frozen. Donatello was nowhere to be seen.

A lump formed in Raph's throat as they all turned to look at him, expressions turning from shock to panic as the realization of what had just happened sunk in.

Fear driving them all as they quickly made their way down the three story building to the ally below.

"Don?!" Michelangelo called as he slid to a stop next to his brother, who's fall was partly broken thanks to pile of trash bags.

Not getting an answer quick enough Mike started to shake Don. "Don? You ok?"

"Mike, don't shake me." Don groaned as he attempted to push Mikey's hands back.

Mikey sighed as Relief filled him. "Dude, I thought you were a goner."

"I would only sustain considerable damage to my shell and suffer broken bones falling from that height, Mikey. unless I were to land on my head." Donatello explained as he attempted to sit up but was stopped by a pain that shot through his back causing him to momentarily forget the throbbing in his leg and let out a pained whimper.

"You ok, man?" Casey asked leaning into Don's view.

"I wouldn't say that." Leo frowned as he looked down at what appeared to be curtain rod of some sort skewering Donatello's leg.

Mikey looked down at the injury and immediately heaved. Seeing blood and a puncture wound was one thing. Seeing your brother's blood and puncture wound was another, especially with anything sticking out of it.

"eww." Casey frowned at the injury.

"He goin' to be alright?" Raph asked from a few feet back. It wasn't that he couldn't handle seeing the injury it was more that he had caused it. He didn't need the dark, I told you so, look Leo shot him to help the guilt to come flooding to the surface like a tsunami. And his face must have shown it 'cause Leo didn't say a thing.

He could have given Raph an hour long lecture on how the bad tempered turtle's thick sculled, recless, pigheadedness had been the cause of all this but it wasn't going to do Don any good for them to waste time. Frowning Leo looked back down at Don's leg and considered what to do. "Ok, you guys hold him." He directed Casey and Mikey, who's color had paled considerably. Leo then wrapped his hands around the long cylinder piece of metal and braced himself. "I'm going to pull it out."

"No no no no!" Don shouted putting his hands out to stop Leo. "I don't know what all it went through and being that it is the inside of my thigh the femoral artery could very well be compromised. That rod could be the only thing keeping me from bleeding out."

"You want us to just take it with us?" Leo asked.

Don gave a slow painful nod. "Yes. We're going to have to go back to the layer. I think I can walk you through how to remove it properly," taking a couple deep breaths he tried to push down the pain so he could continue to think clearly, then said with a groan, "I think I might have cracked my shell."

Leo began to nod his agreement when Raph suddenly pushed through.

Carefully Raph slipped his arms under Donatello's shoulders and knees. Then, with a great deal of pained protest from Don, lifted his brother and began to carry him in the opposite direction on home.

"Where are you going? The layer is that way." Leo said as he pointed back the way they had come in the first place.

"To someone that can help." Raph answered over his shoulder. It hadn't been his plan to bombard Arayah with his family or have them meet her. But he couldn't think of a more capable person to help.

"Who?" Leo asked as he followed Raph, everyone else following Leo.

"She's a vet." Raph explained checking the street than hurrying across, Don quickly growing heavy.

"Like been to war?" Mike asked a little confused on how she could help and who exactly 'She' was.

"No, you idiot." Raph grumbled stopping under a fire escape. "A veterinarian. Someone pull the latter down. "

Leo jumped up and pulled on the latter. "Who is?" He asked feeling his own temper quickly finding its boiling point at his brother's circular way of answering them.

"Owe owe owe!" Don complained as Raphael shifted him onto his shoulder bumping the rod as he did so. Donatello led out a gurgled groan as he tried to push down the pain that jarred his leg and squeezed his stomach.

"You doing alright Don?" Mikey asked looking up at Donnie.

"No." Don whined.

Accepting Don's whining as a good sign Raph turned to Leo. "Arayah." He answered Leo's last question then started to climb the fire escape.

"Who is Arayah?" Leo asked.

"As far as Raph's concerned she's 'Something else'." Casey grinned. As he passed Leo to follow Raphael up the fire escape.

"Shut up, Case." Raph chided.

"What?" Leo asked thoroughly confused.

"She the one you had me look up?" Don asked trying to keep his mind off the world that was spinning below him. He was pretty sure if you threw up no one on the ladder beneath him would thank him and they sure the hell wouldn't let him live it down.

"Ya." Raph answered making his way to the window. The lights were on but he didn't see Arayah in the one room apartment, which meant she was probably in the bathroom. So he knocked on the window, but saw no movement. So he pushed up on the window and slid it open with his available hand, then cursed about the fact she had left it unlocked.

"Who?"

Mikey sighed then looked down the fire escape at Leo. "Don't you pay attention, Dude? Raph is taking Don to see a veterinarian named Arayah, who he had Don cyber stock…" Mike thought about that for a second then looked up the fire escape at Raph. "Oh, she was that babe that stitched up your shoulder."

"Ooohh, The Doctor he thought was hot." Leo nodded as it all finally came together.

"Bingo." Casey confirmed

Raph glared down at them. "Will you guys shut up and help me get Don in here."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Impaled"

Hot water cascaded down soft, blushing skin pushing soft, bubbled, suds over delicate curves as Arayah turned about in the shower letting the water cleans her of the stress of the day. Tight and stressed muscles coming to relax under fading bruises, paranoid thoughts of being followed by large black SUVs being pushed to the back of her mind as she let herself get lost in the steam that filled the bathroom.

Slowly she stretched her neck letting the warm water caress one side and then the other and slide its liquid fingers through her hair and down her back.

Suddenly the curtain was ripped to the side with such ferocity that it pulled the curtain rod tumbling to the floor leaving the shocked Arayah exposed and startled grabbing the closest weapon she could find.

Raphael stood there looking at her in all her naked glory. He was unable to move or speak as he beheld her wet, soapy body. Steam floating about her like she was some water nymph come to beckon him to join her in sultry play amidst dark waters. He felt his body heating as if he was standing in an oven set to broil. His mouth watered at the remembrance of her strawberry lips, his fingers tingling with the desire to run along every curve, every tantalizing, delicious morsel of beautiful flesh that she had left exposed in her surprise at his intrusion.

She just stood there holding out a bar of….soap…in a defensive manner.

"Raph? Wha.. what are you doing?" she finally stammered out as she started to recover from her shock.

His eyes snapped up to look at hers as the sound of her voice broke through the carnal thoughts that had flooded his mind. "Why the hell are you naked?!" He snapped.

Arayah looked down at herself as if she had just realized this fact. She snapped her arms around herself to at least cover her breasts. Narrowing her eyes at him she growled, "I'm in the shower!"

"Raph!" Leo called from the living room.

Raphael looked at his brother then back to Arayah as he remembered why they had come there. "We need your help."

Hastily he walked from the bathroom his cheeks about five shades darker at the embarrassment of his surprise, thoughts, and behavior. 'What the hell did he think he was going to find? her standing in the shower wearing a burka?' He mentally kicked himself. The truth was he hadn't been thinking. He had only been determined to get Donatello the help he needed.

Arayah leaned out of the shower and peered into her living room/ bedroom and blinked at the other three large turtles and Casey. She knew Raphael had brothers but only after seeing the other large turtles, did it really sink in. The one in an orange mask was staring at her, blushing with a goofy smile on his face.

Quickly she yanked a towel off a hook on the back of the door and wrapped it around herself. Blushing at the fact that now Raphael AND one of his brothers had seen her naked either fully or in part. Taking a deep breath she tucked her wet hair back behind her ears and hurried across the living room, gave Casey a small but polite smile, and stepped around the turtle in blue to investigate the purple masked turtle's injury.

Carefully she cut away the pant leg that was obstructing her view of the injury with a pair of scissors, which had been in a side table drawer. Then making sure her towel was still tight around her, Arayah moved to get a close look at the injury.

The curtain rod had gone through the leg cleanly, which was good. And though it was bleeding it wasn't profuse. So, Arayah felt fairly confident that the rod could be removed without too much worry. Though she wished she had some of her more high tech equipment from the office to be sure, it was currently not an option.

Mikey watched the Veterinarian as she wrapped some gauze on either side of Don's impaled leg while trying to maintain some modesty on her part. Smiling a little at the sight of the lovely woman in a towel he leaned in close to Raph. "Man, you weren't exaggerating when you said she was hot."

"Shut up, Mike." Raph growled. It was bad enough he was having a hard time controlling where his thoughts were trying to run with the image of her naked and currently sparsely dressed form. He sure as hell didn't need to have Mikey's imagination running in the same direction. Matter of fact the idea of it was really pissing him off. He might not be able to have her and he had no right to be jealous but damn it he wasn't ok with the thought of anyone else even considering touching her.

Arayah tried to control the blush that returned to her face at Mike's whispered statement feeling even more uncomfortable being clad in only a towel and surrounded by males. It was honestly like some sort of bad dream where she would show up to work naked and all her patients could suddenly talk and point out the miss hap to her. Taking a deep breath Arayah focused on the task at hand. "What happened?"

"He fell…" Leo started to explain

"I wasn't asking you." Arayah interrupted, then turned back to the turtle that was lying on her bed. She didn't mean to be rude but she needed the injured turtle to answer so that she could assess his mental state, which wasn't typically apart of her job description but seemed like a good thing to assess. "What happened?" she repeated.

Not used to taking orders from anyone, other than Splinter, Leonardo narrowed his eyes at her but snapped his mouth shut.

Momentarily pulled from his brooding, Raph grinned smugly at the fact she had shut Leo up before he could give his account of what had happened, no doubt he would have included all the details that Raph would have rather were left out. Donny would only stick to the important stuff and leave out the 'who was at fault for what' bit.

Donatello betrayed his hopes, however, with his answer.

"Raph kicked Leo," Don started. "who ran into me and knocked me back over the roof ledge…"

Arayah's attention snapped up to the turtle's face. "You fell off a roof? How tall was the building?"

Suddenly the woman was close to his face, her bright apple green eyes scanning his for signs of concussion and her hands ran over his head feeling for any injury to his cranium. Don's heart started to pound at the woman's close proximity and he found himself having a hard time focusing on her question.

Taking a couple of breaths, to squelch how nervous she made him, he answered slowly. "About, um, three stories. I landed on my back on some… discarded trash bags." Taking another deep breath he continued his answer with more confidence. "I am pretty sure any injuries I sustained were primarily to my shell and leg."

Arayah frowned. A broken shell could be as bad for a turtle as a broken back could be for a human. She looked up at Raph as her hands continued to make their way down the injured brother's neck looking for any possible damage there. "You shouldn't have moved him."

"What would you have me do, leave him there?" Raph snapped back defensively. Never mind that the others could have waited with Donatello. But Raph was typically one to act first and think about the consequences later.

"You should have called and had me come to him." She scolded Raphael as her hands began to run along a long crack in the injured turtle's shell. Honestly Raph's brother was lucky his injuries weren't considerably worse.

"I broke my phone." Raph crossed his arms and scowled at the admittance.

Arayah sighed and moved her attention back down to the purple masked turtled. "What's your name?"

"Donatello." Don swallowed hard when Vet smiled down at him.

"Well Donatello, I am Arayah, and this is what we are going to do," she began to explain. "We are going to turn you over and get the pressure off you carapace. Then I am going to remove the rod from your leg, clean the wound, and stop the bleeding. Then I am going to have a look at your shell. In the mean time I want you to stay as still as possible. I am going to need to give you a tetanus shot. Do you want a local anesthetic before I remove the rod?"

"Yes, please." Don answered softly. Though he had had his fair share of injuries he was usually on the other side of this equation and the woman having run her hands over his skin and shell had him feeling both helpless and overly warm.

"Since he's not going to die, maybe you should get dressed first." Raphael suggested after elbowing Michealangelo harshly for trying to get a better look at what Arayah's towel was covering.

Arayah was very much in agreement but needed to see to a couple of things first. "While I throw something on would one of you please get the medical bag from the kitchen it's under the silverware drawer?"

Welcoming the distraction from his frustration regarding at least two of his brother's behavior and the half dressed woman, Leo headed for the kitchen.

Arayah looked to the others and continued with her instructions. "I need you guys to turn Donatello over, CARFULLY. Do not twist or pull. And keep his leg off the bed. The crack doesn't feel like it went through to the spinal column but I don't want to take more chances than we need to."

After receiving nods of compliance from the three still in the room she grabbed some clothes from a dresser and disappeared into the bathroom.

After the latch to the door clicked Raph lashed out, smacking Mike in the shoulder.

"Owe. Stop hitting me." Michealangelo demanded.

"Stop staring at her."

"Why, did the impervious Raph finally get had by a pretty girl?" Mikey waggled his eye brows teasingly.

"Fuck no." Raph scoffed.

"Bull shit." Casey said in a pretend cough as he moved to Don's side.

"I will kick your ass, Casey." Raph growled. He had withstood about all the embarrassment he could take in one night without hitting anything… again.

Leo dropped the medical bag next to the day bed. "Knock it off." He ordered. "Stop acting like a couple of kids and help get Don turned over."

Giving each other a couple more shoves Mikey and Raph moved down by Don's legs.

"You know guys I think I can turn over just fine on my own." Don protested.

"Sorry Don, Doctor's orders." Leo looked over the situation and considered how to best position his brother with the rod still sticking out of his leg. "Raph, move the bed away from the wall. So his leg can hang over on the other side I think it will be easier to manage from there.

When Arayah returned from the bathroom, hair pulled back and wearing a pair of jeans and a black button up shirt, she found her apartment rearranged and Donatello lying face down and looking none too happy about having been moved around.

Bringing with her a couple more towels Arayah knelt down next to Donatello's injured leg. She spread out a towel on the floor under the leg and the other one across her lab in case she needed it. Then pulled some items out of the bag and slipped on some latex gloves.

"You sure we can trust her?" Leo asked Raph in a quiet whisper as he watched Arayah draw anesthetic from a bottle, with a long needle.

"Absolutely." Raph answered with such complete confidence that Leo didn't doubt his judgment on the matter.

Don hissed as Arayah stuck the needle deep in his leg pushing the liquid out of the syringe as she pulled the needle back out.

"Want me to hold your hand?" Casey teased Don when he hissed again as the needle was pushed into his skin again.

"Go away Casey." Don answered with a groan.

He was stuck six more times. Four deep pokes on each side.

While they waited for the anesthetic to sink in Arayah began to inspect Don's carapace. It was while she was doing this that Raph noticed the stitches in her had Casey had mentioned back at the garage. He also noticed light bruising across her cheek and throat and wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. "What happened to your hand?"

Arayah looked up from cleaning and gauzing Don's carapace. She didn't have any fiber glass strips so she was going to have to use the old American go to, Duct tape. It wouldn't be pretty but it would hold till she could meet back up with the turtles with better supplies and honestly the crack wasn't as bad and she had been worried it would be. "My hand?" She stalled as she ran a piece of tape over the crack and gauze. "Umm… I got in a fight."

"A fight?!" Apparently Casey had been wrong about her being in an accident and who ever had heart her was going to suffer for it.

When Arayah didn't offer up any more information Casey prodded before Raph could start demanding answers. "A fight with who?"

Ignoring the question, Arayah moved back to the rod sticking out of Don's leg. "Ok, Don I'm going to pull this out now. You'll feel some tugging and it might hurt a little but it shouldn't be unbearable. If you think you need more anesthetic say so."

"Ok." Don answered as he turned his face into the bed taking in deep breaths of the honey ginger sent that lingered there, using it as a distraction from the hurt that was about to come.

"Arayah!" Raph snapped drawing a smoldering glare from the woman.

"We'll talk about it in a minute. Right now I am busy, Raphael." Honestly she wasn't sure she should tell him. That first night she had wanted to. She hadn't wanted to carry the burden by herself but now, a couple weeks after the incident, the burden didn't seem so heavy.

After having Leo, since he was closest, support the lower half of Don's leg, Arayah wrapped her fingers around the rod making sure her grip was tight. Then counted, "One, two, three." Pull.

She hadn't lied the pain wasn't unbearable but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell, and Don couldn't help the unhappy groan that escaped him his fists balling up in the comforter in a white knuckle grip.

Mikey had to turn away so he didn't lose his stomach.

Raph's guilt at his brother's condition came bubbling back up. Not knowing what else to do he reached out a placed his hand on his brother's shoulder if for nothing else but to let him know he was not alone.

Arayah adjusted her grip. "One, two, three." Pull.

There were not words to express the cool relief Don fealt when the rod came loose from his flesh. A feeling he expressed with a long sigh as he let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Arayah held out the long piece of metal and without hesitation Casey took it.

"Want to keep it as a souvenir?" Casey grinned at Don as he held out the bloodied metal rod where the turtle could see it.

"Get that thing the hell away from me." Donatello frowned at the object that had caused his most recent suffering. He took in a sharp breath as cold saline and betadine were pushed through the wound intermittently with syringes to flush out and clean the wound.

"The biggest thing with this, boys, is that it is kept clean. I can't stitch it up because with a wound like this there is more of a risk of bacteria getting trapped and thus infection. I am going to send this stuff with you and I want you to flush it out twice a day for the next 48 hours then just once a day for the next two days after that." After cleaning the wound thoroughly Arayah pressed gauze to both sides of the injury to help stem any bleeding. Then placed clean gauze over the entry and exit points and taped it down with medical tape.

"You did good, Don." Leo praised from his seat on the floor.

"Well," Donatello corrected. "I did well."

Mikey chuckled from the kitchen. "Guess this means I can't turn your lab into my comic room."

Don looked up from the bed at where his brother stood in the kitchen. "Nope, Mike it looks like I'm gunna make it at least one more day, owe." Don looked over at the needle that had been poked into his shoulder.

"Don't want tetanus." The pretty Vet smiled sweetly as she pushed the vaccine into his shoulder. "I'll send you with some pain meds too."

"We have some." Raph informed her. Though it was always good to stock up on such things, he didn't want to take anything else from her.

Arayah nodded as she put the items needed for keeping the wound clean into a bag and held it out to Leo.

Leonardo took the bag and stood then giving the Arayah a small bow thanked her. "We will pay you when we can, if that is ok."

Arayah waved off the offer. "No, you don't owe me anything. I am glad to help. Besides that's what friends are for, right?" She asked the question as she flashed Raphael a small but hopeful smile.

Raph shifted, his heart tightening as he struggled with the knowledge that he had just been shoved even further into the 'friend box'. He knew he had never really been out of it but the push hurt just the same. Swallowing down the hurt he gave her a small nod.

Leo watched the emotions flash across his brother's face, understanding the feeling of rejection his brother was no doubt wrestling with he decided he would not be giving him the lecture he had planned on. They had all been there. All behaved foolishly for the attention of a woman at one point or another. It had just taken his stubborn brother longer to find the cliff worth jumping off of, so to speak. And considering the modelesk woman that had his brother's heart beneath her feet, it could not be argued that when Raphael decided to jump off a proverbial cliff he picked the highest one possible. It was much like and ant reaching for a star. Something so bright being obtainable only if it were to fall.

"We should be going." Leonardo said as he turned and helped Don to his one good leg.

Mikey and Casey helped Leo get the sore and complaining Donatello out the window. Then stared helping Don down the ladder.

Raph reached out through the window catching Leo's arm. "I'll meet you guys back at the layer."

Leo studied his brother's face for a moment, deciding if he should advise his brother to just let it go or let him venture down this path of disappointment. "Raph…" He started to advise.

"Don't." Raph said. It was obvious by the pathetic sorrowful look that Leo was giving him that Leo had figured out everything Raph hadn't wanted to tell him. In his own shame and embarrassment Raph couldn't hold his gaze any more. So, letting his eyes fall to watch the dark alley below he willed Leo to just leave and not say anything more. He just couldn't listen to any lecture brother might have had for him.

"Ok." With a sigh and a slow nod of understanding Leo turned from the window leaving Raph to walk down his chosen path.

* * *

><p>Hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Thank you for reading.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Taken"

Unseen eyes watched threw the rain, from a dark window across the alley of Arayah's apartment. Thermal imaging goggles picking up the heat signatures of those with in and those that were now venturing out into the rain.

An agent brought his radio to his lips. "It appears that three of the turtles and one human male have left the residence, sir. A turtle and a human female remain in the residence. Do we engage both parties, sir? Or do we continue to observe?"

"I have no current need for the others. Retrieve the two still in the residence. I need both alive and in … decent condition." Bishop gave his directions. "I will be there for transport."

"Yes sir." The agent answered then signaled for the others to move in on the apartment across the alley. A large number of soldiers and agents, being humans used to using doors, hurried out the door and down the hall.

*scene change*

The sound of Arayah pushing her bed back against the wall brought Raph to turn and face her. She spared him a glance as she picked up the towels that had saved her carpet from Don's blood and tossed them into the hamper. "I would offer you a beer but I think you should probably go with them. You should still be laying low."

"What happened?" Raph asked motioning to Arayah's injured hand.

Arayah sighed knowing full well Raph wasn't going to let it go. Frowning she walked up to the window scanned the world outside for a moment then pulled the curtains closed. "Why are you putting me in this position?"

Raphael gave her a confused look. "What position?" Then thinking he had figured it out, he continued. "I'm not going to apologize."

Arayah glared at him. "Well, you should." She snapped as she headed for her kitchen intent on finding a beer that was stashed in the fridge.

"Well, I ain't sorry." Raph said as he stormed after her.

Forgetting the beer Arayah slammed the fridge door closed. "I have never been so terrified in my life, Raphael!"

Raph was momentarily taken aback as the verbal blade was plunged into his heart. Slowly his lip curled up in a snarl as his surprise was replaced by the pain of her cruel rejection. "You want an apology?!"

"Yes…" 'apology for what? Existing?' Arayah ran her hands threw her hair as she tried to reason through her feelings. "No."

But then there was him taking unnecessary risks to be with her. Putting himself at risk to be found by Bishop and thus putting her in danger. Her expression hardened as she looked at him. "Yes. You owe me one hell of an apology."

Raph's jaw clenched. "Well you're not gunna get it!" He bellowed. He turned to storm out then changing his mind half way through the living room turned and stormed back into the kitchen. "I realize I ain't your idea of some fucking prince charming and I am probably the last _thing _on this planet you want kissing you…"

Arayah's eyes widened. "Kiss? You think I am mad about the kiss?"

Raphael took a step back, now thoroughly confused. "You're not? But you were so weird about it."

"Well," Arayah made a pitiful face. "I am weird about it, kinda. But that's not why I am mad."

With the knowledge that she was only kinda weirded out by him kissing her, Raph wasn't sure what to think. With a very small ray of hope finding its way through his anger and brightening the darkness of his battered heart, he felt as if he had been slapped and hugged at the same time, "What?"

"You really should go, Raph. Bishop knows I know you…"

"Bishop?" Raphael's heart started to pound at the name. "How?"

"When they chased us." Arayah let out a breath. "They must have seen me with you and found out who I am somehow. I don't really know. But Raph, he came into my work. He attacked me. Asked me where you were."

Raph's eyes darted around the kitchen as he processed this information. "Your hand, the bruises. He did that to you?" He frowned deeply as another much darker thought flashed through his mind. "Is that all he did?"

Arayah nodded. "He said he was going to take my eyes but the police showed up and he took off."

Raph reached under the counter cupboard and pulled out a trash bag then caught hold of Arayah's arm and started to pull her into the living room stopping at her dresser. "We need to get out of here. Put what you need in the bag."

"I'm not leaving." Arayah stated stubbornly.

"Yes, you are." Raph retorted as he started to pull her clothes out of the drawers and stuff them into the bag. "If you have anything else you want to bring you better put it the bag now."

"No. You coming up and gallivanting through the city with me is why he came after me, thinking I knew anything about you and where to find you. I am not going anywhere with you. I am staying here and you are leaving and laying low until they stop looking for you. Then and only then will I be following you to where ever it is you are wanting me to go."

She was right. If he had done as Leo and Splinter had ordered. If he had stayed below ground and away from her, she would have been safe. But like some selfish idiot he had had to see her, had to be close to her. Steel every second he could, every 'accidental' brush of skin, that kiss. None of it had been his to take. Raph's hand rested on Arayah's Tonfu for a moment before he angrily stuffed them in the bag and turned to her. "You're right."

Having expected more of an argument from the turtle, Arayah was caught off guard. "I am?" she asked before catching her bearings and stating a little more firmly. "That's right, I am. So you need to put down my stuff and…"

"If I hadn't done what I did you wouldn't be in this position but that doesn't change the fact that you are in it. And sweet heart, you are in it up to your pretty little neck. Which means Bishop isn't far and we don't have much time you _need _to come with me, Arayah. You aren't safe here."

Arayah looked at Raph and chewed her lip, unknowingly driving him crazy with the action, as she considered what he was saying. Then, to Raphael's exasperation, she began to shake his head. "If he was watching, then why didn't he come and get you guys when your brothers were here?"

Oh, God his brothers. An expression of panic washed across Raphael's face. What if that monster was following them or had already taken them? Raph dropped the bag of Arayah's things as he reached for his phone, then cursed because the cell phone still had not, by some random miracle, materialized. "Shit."

Something slammed against the door cracking the frame and causing Arayah to jump and look at the door quizzically. "What the hell?"

They were out of time.

Raphael grabbed Arayah by the arm with one hand and grabbed the bag of her things with the other as he pulled her out of the way of the door as it burst open with another loud bang.

The door frame splintering sending pieces of wood and plaster sailing into the room. A gas grenade tinked as it hit the ground then it began to hiss as it spewed its contents into the room making I hard to breath.

Black clad soldiers, wearing gas masks, spilled into the room as they fired their guns on the two. Giving Raphael and Arayah no choice but to duck and run.

"Hold your breath." Raph ordered as he pulled Arayah into his arms and crashed through the window to the fire escape smoky gas trailing out of the apartment behind them.

Raph grunted as he hit the landing hard, dropping the bag and cutting himself on the shattered glass as he got back to his feet. Not intending on wasting time with the latter he simply pulled Arayah to him again and jumped. He wrapped himself around her as he tucked and rolled. After reaching his feet he had intended on pushing Arayah into a run but, to his horror, she just fell. Three tranquilizer darts stuck in her shoulder and arm. 'Pick her up!' He screamed inwardly as he shoved down the panic that was trying to consume him.

Arayah felt like a rag doll that had been thrown to a pair of angry dogs. She couldn't move! She could hardly breathe! She wanted to run, to fight, to cry out, anything! But she couldn't. Nothing in her body was listening to her will. All she could do was watch as Raphael reached for her, as he swayed, tried to catch himself, then fall. Watch as they came and began to carry her and Raphael away. Fear and uncertainty filled her only suffocating her more like some waking nightmare. Till, finally, all went dark.

*scene change*

Leonardo woke with a start. Feeling slightly panicked for a moment he looked around the open space of the layer trying to figure out what had woken him. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary he swallowed down the upset apparently caused by some forgotten dream.

Yawning loudly he stood up out of old tattered lounge chair he had fallen asleep in while waiting for his brother, Raphael, to return home. He rubbed his stiff neck as he walked to Raph's room and quietly pushed open the door fully expecting to see his brother's sleeping form amidst the pile of old blankets that graced the worn mattress. But, to his dismay, his brother apparently decided not to come home. It would seem that, as Leo had suspected would happen, the conversation with the veterinarian had not gone well. Which meant Raphael had most likely gone to Casey's.

Leo's hand dropped to his side and he took his phone from his pocket. He checked the time and, seeing that it was about 1:30 in the afternoon, let out a long tired sigh as he dialed the number he now knew by heart. "Hey, Casey. Is he there?"

"No, man. Maybe he stayed at Arayah's."

Leo frowned at Casey's answer. "Ok thanks."

He then hit the end call icon on the phone. "Hmm."

"No Raph?" Don asked as he limped slowly past following the smell of brewing coffee, curtesy of the automatic coffee maker.

"No, Casey thinks he stayed at Arayah's." Leo answered.

Don took a moment to lean on the crutch they had dug out of the medical stash for him. "Guess things went_ really_ well with Arayah."

Leo raised an eye ridge at his brother than shrugged. "Guess so."

Suddenly Mikey came bursting out of his room and quickly shoved past Leo into Raphael's room. He flipped on the light and started searching the room, throwing the blankets off the bed, looking under it, and in the closet.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked, a little shocked by Mikey's intrusion.

"Where is he?" Mikey's head popped out of the closet that was used to store Raph's impressive collection of weapons. "He's at Casey's, right?"

Leo shook his head. "Apparently he stayed at the Vet's"

"Damn." Mikey's shoulders slumped as he turned off the light and exited the bedroom.

"Why are you upset?" Don asked as he resumed his slow journey to the kitchen.

"Cause I was totally going to call dibs on her." Mikey sulked.

Don stopped to give Mikey a stern look. "You can't call dibs on a person… just like you can't keep one."

"Whatever." Mike waved Don off and began rummaging through the kitchen for something to eat.

Leo rolled his eyes at Mikey, but couldn't help the smile that lightened his features. He knew full well that Raphael's venture was going to end in heart ache. That was the lot they were given. But, Leo was still glad his brother would get to enjoy some of the high lights that went with having the interest of a woman. Though his timing could be better, at least he knew where Raph was.


	11. Chapter 11

(I would like to warn you of two things; I wrote this chapter while hoped up on a great deal of niquil and theriflu, also there is some of that darker content in it.)

Chapter 11

"The harvest"

Raphael groaned as he slowly woke, for the second time this month, from a drug induced slumber. The first of his senses to become aware was his hearing. Beeps and buzzing sounds followed by shuffling feet and voices saying things he couldn't quite put together in his groggy mind. Then his sense of smell was assaulted by the crisp scent of a space thoroughly bleached down, and her. That honey sweet and ginger smell, light and teasing. He tried to lift his hand to his face to rub the sleep from his eyes but he couldn't.

He opened his eyes to a painfully blinding light. He blinked a few times to get them to adjust as he turned his head to see what had his wrist pinned.

"The turtle is awake." Someone stated from somewhere in front of him. "Get Bishop."

Finally his vision focused on the restraint that held him to an inclined mettle table, which seemed to have been made to accommodate the arch of his shell. He pulled against it, when it didn't give he began to struggle fervently, gritting his teeth as he pulled hard enough to draw blood from his wrists and ankles.

It was a recurring night mare. At least he was hoping it was. But the reasonable part of him, the part that was quickly remembering what had happened, was telling him otherwise.

"Raph?"

The voice came from somewhere behind him and she sounded terrified.

"Arayah!" Raph tried to turn craning his neck trying to catch a glimpse of her, to know she had not been harmed. But, between his shell and the restraints, he just couldn't turn enough. "Arayah,You ok?"

"She is well." Bishop stepped onto Raphael's view, giving him a not so reassuring grin.

"If you hurt her Bishop, I will…Hey, get back here you son of a bitch!" Raphael struggled against his restraints again. Intent on finding some way to protect her from whatever Bishop had planned.

Bishop had no interest in Raphael's threats, however. He had a reason for bringing them here and the mutant only played a small part in it.

He walked around to look over the woman that lay restrained to her own mettle table. He watched as different emotions flashed across her face as if she couldn't decide what to feel about the situation she found herself in. He loved this. Every creature that had ever lay on his examination table, and there were many, though few were human, reacted the same the first time. Uncertainty, confusion, then eventually they would settle on fear or maybe obstinance… but in the end fear.

Arayah pulled fruitlessly at her own restraints as she looked around the room trying to take in as much as possible hoping to find some bit of information that could ease the fear that was storming through her. She heard Raphael but she wasn't sure if she found his presence to be a comfort or an added worry. There were people in white lab coats bustling about laying out surgical tools and syringes connected to long needles. An IV was imbedded deep in her arm pumping a clear unknown liquid into her. And then there was him, that bastard that had ransacked her office and attacked her. He stood there looking at her like death, come to collect her soul.

"What do you want?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

Originally Bishop had intended on using the woman named April Jones. But Raphael had, unknowingly, made obtaining Arayah so much easier. Her almost complete lack of connections to anyone, aside from work, made her an optimal choice. The only set back was that he didn't know her fertility. A question that would be answered soon enough.

He had no intention of answering her. He wanted to anticipation to get to her to fill her with fear and make her squirm.

Bishop sat on a stool and rolled it up to Arayah's side. "We need tissue samples from both." He said to a lab tech.

The lab tech offered him a specimen dish which he sat, with in reach, on a tray.

The noise of Raphael fighting his restraints stilled as he tried to arch himself again so he could see what bishop was doing. But all he could see was an array of surgical tools spread out upon it. Raph's struggles renewed as he watched Bishop reach back and take a pair of large snips off the tray.

Hearing the turtles new found drive Bishop leaned back into Raphael's view, grinned, and snapped the snips open and closed for the turtle.

"You son of a bitch." Raph snarled as he wriggled and pulled against his restraints. The blood from his wrists and ankles becoming sticky and cool making his struggles more painful, but he didn't care. He had to get to her. He had to stop Bishop. "Just let her go Bishop! I'm who you're after."

The worry and renewed struggle that Raphael put forth only brought Bishop's grin to widen.

Arayah, on the other hand, had stilled. Her eyes fixed on the snips. She knew what they were for. She had used a similar tool many times when removing a smaller irreparable limb from an injured animal or in docking a puppy's tail.

She swallowed hard as she watched Bishop take hold of her left hand. She didn't understand why he was doing this. As a doctor, even as just a veterinarian, she knew full well that he could get small tissue samples from any number of arias without the use of snips. And what on earth did any part of the government need with a tissue sample from her anyways?

He applied pressure between the bones forcing her to open and spread out her hand. Carefully he slid the snips between her pinky and ring finger. Bishop took a moment to look up, to see if she was still watching.

The man that looked up at her was completely insane, something having long since snapped in his mind. Arayah had not seen someone find so much raw joy in another's pain since she was a child, but with her now the victim and not the witness, it now terrified her.

"Please." The plea was no more than a whisper, but she knew it wouldn't have mattered how much she begged and pleaded. It would not change his directive.

Bishop's attention dropped back down to Arayah's hand and he squeezed the snips, by no means quickly, reveling in her pained scream as he rocked the snips through the bone of her pinky finger just below the last knuckle.

At the sound of Arayah's scream Raphael saw red, pulling at the restraints with all his might. He pulled till his muscles ached and his wrists were in agony, but succeeded in only bending the table's edges and scathing his wrists further.

The bone made a cracking sound and the snips scraped together. After catching the finger in his hand Bishop sat it in the specimen dish, which was immediately taken by a lab tech.

It took everything Arayah had not to vomit. The throbbing in her hand only made worse when a lab tech got to work stemming the bleeding and stitching up her damaged hand without bothering to numb it. Arayah's bright green eye glistened with the tears that filled them before slipping slowly down her cheeks.

Feeling pleased with his handy work Bishop removed his bloodied gloves and dawned a clean pair before rolling his stool around to grin at the large struggling turtle that lay bleeding and cursing on his table. "Don't worry she'll live." Bishop mocked.

"You son of a, fucking, bitch! I'm going to break every god damn bone in your…" Raphael's threat was stopped as a small bone saw was held up and inspected by his captor.

Bishop sat the saw back down on the tray he had picked it up from. "I'm sorry Raphael, what were you saying."

Raph answered with a scowl. "Don't you have enough from the last time? I don't think there was a single organ you forgot to take a piece of."

"Hmm." Bishop grinned as he held up another nasty looking tool. "I will have to check. But in the mean time I require a couple more pieces of you. I don't suppose you are going to be cooperative?"

"Go fuck yourself." Raph seethed.

Bishop merely grinned picked up a clean pair of snips then wasted no time in slipping them around Raph's large outer finger. Keeping a grip was not easy as Raph was struggling more than Arayah had and the blood that already was dripping down the turtle's hands made it difficult to get a good grip. So when Bishop clamped the snip's closed, pulling a pleasing yelp from Raphael, he didn't get as much of the appendage as he had wanted. But as he held up the tip, last knuckle to top, of the thick green finger, he decided it would do.

Ignoring the turtle's new slew of threats and curses bishop turned to a couple of free lab techs. "I want you to harvest as many viable eggs from her as you can get, and a seaman sample from him. The rest of you," he addressed the other dozen or so lab techs in the room as he held up Raphael's detached digit. "We have splicing to do."

*scene change*

Leo checked the time again, then slowly scanned the roof tops for any sign of anyone that didn't belong.

"I don't see anything, do you see anything?" Mikey asked as he shifted back and forth on his feet.

Leo eyed his brother curiously for a moment. "Will you take a deep breath or something Mike you're fidgeting is making me nervous."

"I can't help it I chugged down two monsters before we left." Mikey drummed his hands on the wall behind him as he scanned the shadows not entirely sure if he was seeing movements in the shadows or just over buzzed.

Leo shook his head at his brother. "Why?"

"I was planning on gaming all night before you drug me out here, dude." Mikey griped

Leo sighed and looked back out at Arayah's building. "I don't see anything. Her apartment's on the other side. Come on."

With a jittery Mikey close behind Leo led the way across the roof and then down to the broken apartment window. The glass crunched beneath his feet as stepped onto the fire escape landing. Arayah's clothes spilled out of a trash bag that sat amongst the glass.

Leo's heart started to pound as the possible explanations went through his mind. Carefully he pushed back the crime scene tape that was strewn across the window and cautiously stepped inside.

"Wow." Mike said at the state of the apartment.

The apartment door broken open, with more crime scene tape strewn across the entry way, and the apartment itself looked like a herd of elephants had crashed through it.

"What happened?"

"Nothing good, Mikey." Leo frowned. "Let's get back to the layer. We'll get Don to track Raph."

Mikey nodded and followed Leo back out the window. He stopped for a moment and considered the bag of Arayah's things then, deciding she might need it at some point, scooped it up and threw it over his shoulder before following Leo into the sewers.

*scene change*

Raph lay curled up inside his cell, a metal box with only two small holes to let in air, feeling violated and hopeless. Because of a thousand if onlies, he had no one to blame but himself. He couldn't stop them from doing what they did to him or from taking what they took from her. He didn't even know where she was or if she was alive. He had traded her safety and so much more for the price of a kiss. He hated himself for it. God! He could still hear her screams. And there had been nothing he could do. All his size and strength had amounted to nothing.


	12. Chapter 12

(In my research for the last and next chapter I learned more about in vetro fertilization and sperm harvesting than I ever cared to know. however it was all really interesting. I didn't go into detail on the procedures for harvesting in the chapters simply because I felt I was torturing my characters enough. If you strongly feel I should have included the information than by all means let me know and I will go back and add it.)

Chapter 12

"furtalization"

Leonardo burst into the layer with Mikey on his heels calling to Donatello.

"What is the going on?" Splinter demanded as Don hobbled into the room from his lab.

"It's Raph." Mike started. "And the hot vet. Their gone."

"Gone?" Splinter asked eyes widening. "Where?"

Leo shook his head as he swallowed in an attempt to wet his parched throat. They had run the whole way from Arayah's and it was a good distance to go without stopping. "We don't know. Her place was torn apart, and there was crime scene tape on the door and window. Like there was a struggle and the police were called or something."

"You don't think Raph and Arayah would have gotten in that big of a fight do you?" Don asked.

Leo shook his head. "There was blood in the broken glass by the window. Raph can be ass and might break stuff but He wouldn't hurt her. Besides the door looked like it had been broken from the outside."

Mikey dropped Arayah's bag of stuff on the floor. "They were trying to get away from something."

"Or someone." Leo finished.

Splinter frowned. "Bishop?"

"Unless we have acquired a new enemy who uses military tactics and access to military weaponry and has a reason to be attacking us and our friends, I think it is a strong possibility, sensei." Leo agreed before looking at Don. "We need to track Raph."

Don nodded and hobbled his way back to his lab, followed and partly pushed by his brothers and sensei. Sitting in front of his computer his fingers flew over the key board as he opened the necessary program.

Leo watched the screen as a "scanning" icon came across the screen. "Why is it taking so long Don."

"I don't know Leo. Give it a second." Don answered, obviously agitated by the pressure and worry for his brother.

Load… load…load…then finally a new window popped up reading "target not found."

"Run it again, man." Mikey pushed.

Don's fingers flew over the key board again.

Load… load… "Target not found."

"Damn." Leo cursed as he leaned on Don's desk, trying to think of what to do now.

"He could have found the new one and removed it." Don offered.

Leo frowned. He shouldn't have left Raph to come home alone. It was a stupid decision, but he had honestly thought with the rain and how quiet the city had been last night that Raph would be fine.

"What do we do, Leo?" Michelangelo looked to Leo hoping he would somehow come up with the answer to where Raph was.

"Keep trying." Leo instructed. "Mikey come on we're going to go look. We'll check every place we know he likes to hide out. Maybe they got away and are just laying low."

Mikey nodded his agreement. "Ok. You want to take the north side?"

Leo shook his head. "No. If this is Bishop we need to stick together."

Everyone nodded their agreement.

Leo looked at his sensei brow was furrowed in worry. They all knew if Raphael had been taken by Bishop finding him may be near impossible, if they weren't already too late.

"We'll find him sensei." Leo tried to reassure his father.

Mikey gave his sensei a hug. "We'll bring him back."

Quickly the two headed for the city intent on finding some trace of their brother.

*scene change*

Bishop stood in the center of the large lab watching the scientists and lab techs bustling about with petri dishes, specimen dishes, high powered microscopes, and so on. They had been working on breaking down the DNA of both of their unwilling guests. Splicing it and trying to combine it and fill in the gaps.

To Bishop's dismay the project was proving unfruitful. The scientists kept telling him that such things took time. But he wanted results now. He needed something to show for his work. A highbred had been requested. Since they had no luck using DNA from extraterrestrial beings, who were kept in cells or in cryostasis, he had hoped that the turtles unique mutation would open a door.

Arm's crossed he watched a computer screen that showed a blown up view of one of the ovum taken from Arayah. Cybrids, where human DNA is injected into an animal ovum, had been made in UK labs and been allowed to develop up to 14 days before being destroyed. Bishop was doing the opposite and planned on taking these to term with the use of Arayah's uterus.

A fine needle came into view on the screen and carefully pressed into the ovum. The DNA was injected. This one, if it developed and made it to term, would be male as it was Raphael's direct DNA, with a few specific additions of human genetics, that was put into the egg. Much like cloning… but not quite.

The ovum reacted as hoped and was taken to incubate where it would stay for the next two days before implantation would take place.

Another ovum was placed under the microscope. This egg was to be a fertilized with a single sperm chosen based on the fact that it had been a strong swimmer, so to speak. Bishop wasn't expecting much from this egg. But was still curious on whether or not it would develop. In most cases, with non-mutant animals, the eggs would only reach a certain stage before the zygote would die on its own. It would be interesting if Raphael's mutation would make a difference in this case.

The needle was pressed into the ovum and the sperm was pushed in. The egg reacted accordingly and was taken to incubation.

Too soon to tell if the project had any hope, Bishop simply nodded his approval of the start and exited the lab. He walked through several levels of high security before he came to the cell he was looking for. He looked at the screen that showed the large turtle that lay with in.

"He refuses to eat." The guard informed Bishop.

"He did that last time too."

"Should I put an order in to have him floated?" The guard asked. The term "floated" meaning that Raphael would be sedated, placed in a large Plexiglas container with feeding and oxygen tubes and other necessary tubing. The container would then be filled with a fluid similar to amniotic fluid and kept there until he was needed again.

Bishop considered this for a moment before making his decision. "No. I have no further use for him at this time. Have him released near the Hudson."

The guard gave Bishop a surprised look. "You want him released sir?"

"Yes." Bishop looked at the guard and grinned. "I enjoy hunting him down."


	13. Chapter 13

(lisafrank1234576- yes it is kinda crazy about clones being able to reproduce. It's cause they are just a genetic copy. Like an identical twin. super cool. In answer to how sperm harvesting and invetro is done, at least in the case of this story and yes in much livestock and endangered species breeding programs I decided to answer you here. You see Raph is my absolute favorite and I just can't bring myself to abuse him in such a way for the whole world to read. So I give you the less personalized version…I guess.

There are a couple of different ways of sperm collection is done but the one used here, and is widely used else wear, alongside manual stimulation, is called Elctroejaculation. An electric probe is inserted into the rectum adjacent to the prostate gland. The probe delivers an AC voltage, usually 12-24 volts. This stimulates nearby nerves, resulting in contraction of the pelvic muscles and ejaculation. It is usually used in large mammals such as bull and elephants however it has also been successfully used in some turtle species though it had to be coupled with manual stimulation. Why they don't just use a vibrating bullet? I don't know.

Eggs are retrieved through transvaginal ultrasound aspiration. Using a tube attached to an ultrasound probe, a doctor guides a suctioning needle into each ovary and removes mature ovum from the follicles. Pretty strait forward really and not too invasive unless you don't want someone up in your lady bits with a suctioning needle. In that case I think it would be pretty traumatic. Poor Arayah and Raph. )

Chapter 13

"Tracking"

Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Casey sat or stood in general group on the roof of Casey's apartment building. None of them spoke as they waited for someone to come up with another idea of where Raphael might be. It had been days of fruitless searching, and things were well beyond feeling hopeless.

None of them were willing to give up the search, however. Even if all they end up finding is their brother's body, then so be it. He would be laid to rest properly not left to be dismembered and soaked in formaldehyde in one of Bishop's labs.

Leo frowned at the thought as he looked over at his other, unusually melancholy brother.

Mikey kicked at a couple of stones absently. "We have looked everywhere."

"We've looked everywhere in Manhattan… or at least it seems like it." Casey corrected "Maybe it's time to cross the bridge."

Leo nodded his agreement. "Mind if we take your truck?"

"Sure." Casey answered. "One of you will have to ride in the back though."

Leo nodded. "I will."

Without a lot of pep in their step the small group made their way to street level.

Back in the layer Donatello sat in front of a computer screen running another scan and hoping Raph's tracker signal would show up.

Splinter came into the room and sat a cup of coffee down for his son then sipped on his own cup of tea.

"Thanks Sensei." Don gave splinter a halfhearted smile before taking a sip of the brew. Don wanted to be top side searching with the others. He could use the computer in the van but Leo had insisted that Don's leg hadn't healed enough and had him stay below. As much as Don was disappointed by this he couldn't really argue. They didn't know that kind of condition Raph would be in if and when they found him and they didn't need Donnie slowing them down.

He watched as Leo and Mikey's blips moved across the computer's GPS map. "Looks like they decided to take a car. Probably headed to Brooklyn. Raph's been known to hide out there."

"How can you tell?" Splinter asked curiously.

"Well, you see how quickly the blips are moving and how they are moving along the street lines on the map." Don explained. "That kind of movement means they're in a vehicle."

Splinter nodded and walked over to another screen that showed another section of New York. After watching the screen for a long moment as he sipped his tea, a little red blip suddenly appeared on the upper corner of the screen. "Is this one moving in a manner suggesting it is in a vehicle, Donatello?"

Don looked up at the two that were now crossing the bridge to the mainland. "Umm well unless Mikey fell out of the vehicle I would assume…"

"This one Donatello." Splinter pointed to the blip that was moving down the streets of New York in the north side of the Bronx.

Don rolled his chair so that he could view the screen properly; his eyes went wide when he saw the red blip. "Splinter, that's Raph!" he exclaimed as he pulled out his cell phone and called Leo.

Leo was lying on his back rocking on his carapace in the back of Casey's truck watching the trusses of the bridge as they passed by. He was thinking, as people often do in these situations, about Raph. He was actually missing his brother's surly attitude.

His phone buzzed to life and Leo pulled it from his pocket and answered. "What's up, Don?"

"I found him!" Don exclaimed into the phone. "Well, actually splinter did."

Leo about sat up, but reminded himself he of his surroundings before he did. "Should I have Casey turn around? Where do we go?"

"Ya. Head up toward the Bronx I'll send you his GPS signal. And Leo, he's in a vehicle. He very well might not be alone." Don warned

"Understood." Leo hung up with Don and called Mikey who was sitting in the cab chatting it up with Casey.

Mikey answered.

"Don's sending a GPS link follow it."

Within seconds the truck was spun around and was dodging cars on its way back across the Brooklyn Bridge.

By the time they had reached the Bronx the blip on the screen had made it two blocks from the Hudson.

"Turn here, turn here." Mike pointed to the left.

Casey turned the car.

"There there, that's it, that's the car!" Mikey shouted as he pointed at an unmarked box truck up ahead.

Seeing Mikey's excitement Leo could guess what was going so he tapped on the glass and signaled for Casey to follow the truck.

He must have miss understood however, because he pushed the gas pedal to the floor, sending Leo sliding backwards into the tailgate. He took a moment to right himself glair at the back of Casey's head then run up the bed of the truck, over the cab and onto the hood.

Casey rammed the truck bumper into the bumper of the box truck. Leo leapt to the box truck and pulled himself to the roof.

The driver of the box truck looked in his side view mirror wearing an unimpressed expression.

Casey and Mikey waved at the driver.

The driver raised an eye brow, then ducked as his side window shattered under the hilt of Leo's katana.

Leo then reached in and grabbed the man by the front of his shirt and yanked him out of the cab of the box truck throwing him to role to a stop on the pavement.

The passenger of the box truck pulled out his gun while simultaneously reaching for the steering wheel.

Leo grabbed the side view mirror and swung himself out backwards as he dodged the first bullet that was fired. Then yanked the door open and swung himself into the cab bringing his feet up to connect with the passenger's face. Then got himself situated in the driver's seat.

The passenger groaned as he cleared the fog from his head, Then looked out the window at Mikey's smiling face.

Mikey waved, opened the door, and yanked the man out of the vehicle letting him sail out onto the side walk.

Sliding into the seat Mike smiled at Leo. "That was easier than I thought it would be."

"Ya." Leo agreed. "Let's get somewhere where we can get him out safely. I have no doubt that this thing is low jacked."

Followed closely by Casey Leo moved the box truck out behind an empty factory building near the river before shutting the vehicle down and climbing out.

Casey was already opening the back of the box truck before Leo and Mikey had made it around.

A large mettle crate was strapped down with in the box truck, and it was silent. The crate didn't rock with struggling no slew of cuss words or threats filled the space of the truck.

Leo gave Casey and Mike a worried look then climbed into the truck. Taking a deep breath he approached the crate and inspected the coded lock. With a sigh he slipped his sword between the cracks and pushed. He hated abusing his swords like this but as they didn't have Don with them to break the code he had to use what he could.

With a pop the lock gave and Raph came out like a cannon ball nocking Leo to his carapace with all his might. After pinning Leo under him in a full mount pulled his fist back and froze, the scowl on his face slipping into surprise. "Leo?"

"If your gunna hit me every time I save you…" Leo was cut short Raph hugged him Then suddenly dropped him and clambered out of the back of the vehicle pushing past Casey and Mikey.

"You're welcome." Mike called after Raphael as he rounded the back of the truck.

Leo jumped out of the back and followed Casey and mike as they followed Raph who now stood just staring into the cab of the box truck.

"You ok? What'd they do?" Casey asked.

Raph turned to look at Casey his jaw clenching and releasing as he wrestled with the worries that tumbled through his head. "She's not here."

The other three gave each other worried looks.

"Raph, we'll find her." Leo attempted to comfort his brother.

Shaking his head Raph tried to swallow down the guilt that rose up like bile from the very depth of his stomach. "How?" His voice breaking as he asked.

Leo had no idea. They had found Raph due to luck and a tracker. Arayah didn't have a tracker. "We'll call Don. Maybe he has an idea."

Leo dialed the number.

"Did you find him?" Don asked upon answering the phone.

"Ya. Can you find out where the truck has been?"

"Bring me the GPS."

*scene change*

Arayah struggled as two large men in black suits dragged her into the lab. She was dizzy from some drug they had stuck her with, due to her lack of cooperation and the delicacy of the procedure to be performed, and she hurt. Her hand, where her finger had been removed, still ached and her belly was still uncomfortable and sore from the harvest of ovum (eggs) from her ovaries.

Still she tried to get her feet under herself. Though they only wobbled and gave way under her. Her head swayed side to side as she tried to get the room to stop spinning.

She was brought to a stop in front of that monster Bishop. She tried to glair at him…or at least what she was pretty sure was him. She couldn't be sure since she was seeing multiples.

"Where is Raph?" She tried to ask, but the words just came out a jumble mess of syllables.

Bishop smirked as he reached forward and grabbed hold of her hair so he could tip her head back. "Not feeling too well are we?"

She responded by vomiting the bland meal she had been given onto his shoes.

"Hmm." Bishop grimaced as he took a step back shaking the vomit from his shoes as he did. "Put her on the table."

The world spun as Arayah was, not so gently, lifted and placed on the table. Her arms and legs were then clasped into tight restraints. The medical gown she had been made to wear was then lifted. She didn't want to give in to the tears that stung her eyes at their unwelcome intuition, or her humiliation at the way Bishop over saw the procedure treating her as no more than a lab rat. But they trailed down her cheeks anyways.

She had decided he wasn't human, despite his appearance. How could he be? How could any of them be, and willingly say nothing as she was abused in this way? Raphael was a turtle and he was more human than these monsters that treated her so coldly.

Longing for an escape she closed her eyes. Imagined she was sitting on her bed, beer in hand, listening to his deep chuckle at something that happened on the T.V.. Something they had done so many times in the couple months past. She didn't realize the significance or why she chose Raph as her escape from this horrid bleached down place. She just knew he made her feel safe, and that was all she wanted to be right now.

When the procedure was finished she was lifted and taken back to the stark white room she had been placed in and left to her own misery. Unable to stand she sat on the floor and brought her knees to her chest. Closing her eyes and forcing her tears to stop flowing she used her dizzy feeling to put her mind on her motorcycle racing through the darkened city, Raphael popping wheelies and other wise showing off in front of her. Alone in the brightness of that room she shoved down her fear, anger, and hurt and embraced the warmth and feeling of freedom that filled her at the thought of him.


	14. Chapter 14

(I will have you all know I suck at math. So trying to figure the numbers out in this chapter was not easy, like it took me a couple of hours and I am still not sure I got it right. So If I am wrong and made Donnie sound like an idiot by all means correct my math and let me know. and in reality I think It would take longer to actually crack the code than I said. So I took some liberty with that.)

Chapter 14

"Searching"

"How long is this gunna take, Don?" Frustration and anger radiated form Raphael as he paced Don's lab. The fact that the decoding of the GPS was taking longer that Raph wanted it to was bad enough, you add that to the newspaper snippet about a raid on a vet and her arrest, that his brothers had tried to keep from him, and it left Raph furious.

"You can't rush this." Don sighed.

"Why the fuck not?!" Raph slammed his fist down on the desk making Don jump.

Don shot Raph a glair. "Look it's coded, and not with a password but with numbers. So instead of dealing with just twenty six letters, or more depending on the language, arranged in accordance with one of the 6,500 different languages they may have used, some more likely than others, but instead with a huge amount of number sequences. Which means I am trying to crack a permutation that uses a sequence of ten numbers, each place being any of the numbers zero through nine. Which is 100, cause we are counting the zeros, to the tenth power of combinations. Do you have any idea how many possible combinations that it?"

Raph shook his head as he started to speak. "I really don't care. I just…"

"It is this," Don wrote down the number 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 and held it up for Raph, who raised an eyebrow because he didn't even know what the term would be for the number, which was probably why Don had written it down for him.

"Let me put this into perspective for you." Don continued. "The normal search time for a 60-number dial with three number placements would be 65 hours. That is five days… we are looking at a hundred number dial, basically, which could take anywhere from two to three weeks of the program searching the number combinations. Not just a couple of days, as it has been. On top of it, this is government not civilian. And thus not only is it coded it is also highly sensitive. If I mess it up it will wipe the GPS memory. Then we will be, in no way, closer to finding Arayah than we are right now."

Raphael just stared at Don for a long moment as he tried to process this information. He then looked back at the shifting numbers on the screen. "A couple of weeks."

"Ya." Don said with a sigh. "It might not take that long cause the computer is faster than I would be doing it in my head, and it already has the first number. So we might get lucky."

"That's not good enough, Don!" Raph turned on his brother. "What am I gunna be pulling out of there in two weeks?!"

Don didn't have the answer. He didn't know what Bishop's plans were and Raph wouldn't talk about what had happened, so he couldn't even hypothesize about why Bishop had released Raph but held on to Arayah. He gave his brother an apologetic look, but could offer him no reassurance.

Raph slammed him fist into the desk in his frustration. "Damn it!"

"Raph…" Don tried to find something to say, anything that would help.

"This is all my fault." Raph said as he stared down at the dent he had put in the desk, struggling with his guilt. "I caused this and then I couldn't stop them. I…I."

"Should go out and look for her." They had looked for him and turned up nothing until the break with the tracker, but looking for her would help Raph keep busy and help him to regain a feeling of control. "You showed up in the Bronx." Don continued. "Maybe you should go look there."

Raphael gave a slow nod of acknowledgement. Don was right. He was going to go crazy if he sat around here waiting on this decoding program. Without much more to say Raph left the lab and made his way to the garage.

He pulled his jacket on and zipped it up before straddling his motorcycle and lifting his helmet to his head.

"Hey." Mikey called as he hurried up to the bike.

Raph paused. "What?"

"Leo is meeting up with Casey to search the east side of the Bronx. Splinter and I were going to go look in the west side want to come with us?"

Raph looked over as Splinter who, had entered the garage behind Mikey, then back at Mikey, wondering if Don had known and thus suggested searching to him. "Umm. I'll catch up. I am going to swing by Arayah's and see…"

"We already searched it when you went missing." Mikey informed.

"Well maybe you missed something." Raph snapped before slamming his helmet on and cranking the motorcycle, then spinning it around and peeling out of the layer.

Mikey frowned as he watched his brother take off. "We shouldn't be letting him go off alone."

Splinter placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "We aren't." He said before walking from the garage.

Mikey followed Splinter to the roofs of New York where he watched Splinter take a moment to stretch his old muscles and loosen his old bones. "You sure we can keep up? I mean you're kinda…umm…"

Splinter raised a furry eye brow at Mikey and smiled. "I may be old Michealangelo, but I am not infirm. Though I am going to have to follow you, I don't know where Arayah's apartment is. And I would prefer to take the shortest route." The old rat straitened.

Mikey chuckled then started across the roof. "Just let me know if you need me to slow down."

As usual, Splinter did not disappoint. The rat may in fact be old, but he was a ninja and, at whatever age he was, was still quite skilled and in decent shape, though not as much as the younger spryer turtle he was attempting to keep up with.

Half way to Arayah's Mikey slid to a stop so that his sensei could catch his breath. Taking a few deep breaths himself Mikey looked out over the city from his spot on the roof. "Crazy that a couple of days ago there were tons of helicopters flying around here. Now there are like… none."

Splinter too looked around at the skis, the silence not putting him anymore at ease or convincing him that they were any safer. "Do not let your guard down. Just because we cannot see our enemy does not mean they are not there."

Mikey nodded getting goose bumps as the shadows looked a little longer than usual. "Maybe we should get moving."

"Agreed." Splinter motioned for Michealangelo to lead the way, which he gladly did.

When they reached the building across from Arayah's apartment Raph could be seen pushing open the plastic that had been put over the window sometime in the last week.

Raphael peered into the dark one room apartment and took a deep breath, that caused him to pause. The smell of bleach and other cleaning chemicals assaulted his nostrils making him want curl up deep into the untouchable safety his shell. It was something he hadn't been able to do since he was child nor had he wanted to ever since he got over being afraid of the things that bumped about in the dark corners, feeding the fears that lurked in a child's imaginative mind.

Raph took a shaky breath, pushed past his fear and shame and stepped inside.

He walked to the light switch by the door, tripping over a box on the way, and flipped on the light. What little furniture Raven had owned was gone. Two stacks of boxes sat in the middle of the room, one he had knocked over when he tripped over it. DVDs were now strewn across the floor thanks to his clumsiness.

Raph turned around looking for something that might give him a clue as to where she was being held. But the room had been pretty well scoured. Everything was boxed up except a key ring sitting on the counter. He picked them up and inspected them. One was the spare key to the hell cat, Casey still had the other, and the keys to the DUU. He closed his fist around the keys. Feeling the cold hard mettle pressed against his hand as he searched his mind for something that might give him an idea as to where Arayah was. He sorted through sounds, smells, the way the box truck had moved over the road, counting potholes he thought they may have driven over. But none of it helped him figure it out…except the smell of coffee.

Raph thought about that for a moment. "It had been at the first place the truck had stopped." He voiced his thoughts. "By the way the truck had paused before turning… right, it had been a stop light or a sign. How many coffee shops could there be on a corner in the Bronx?" Raph thought about it for a moment then let out a sad sigh. "Hundreds."

"It narrows down the search."

Raph jumped and spun at the sound of his sensei's voice. "Splinter!" Raph exclaimed as he tried to calm his thundering heart. "You startled me."

"You need to stay aware of your surroundings, Raphael." Splinter chastised, but softened his tone after Raphael nodded his understanding. "We will start looking for coffee shops in the upper north east side. Maybe things will start to come together."

Raph nodded again. "Ya, let's do that." He tossed Mikey, who was standing behind Splinter, the keys. "Can you get Arayah's motorcycle back to the layer?"

Mikey grinned ear to ear. "Absolutely."

"Be careful with it." Raph instructed.

Mikey practically skipped from the apartment, exited to get to drive the machine.

Raph looked around the bare room. "I fucked up."

"Yes." Splinter agreed.

Raph's shoulders hunched and his gaze fell to the floor, ashamed. He hadn't expected splinter to say otherwise and if he had Raph would have argued.

Splinter knew this and so continued placing a hand on his son's shoulder as he spoke. "But, dwelling on that will not help her. Stay focused and we will find her."

"How do you know? We have possible leads but by the time we can make anything of them it might be too late." Raphael looked up at his sensei then.

Splinter nodded as he let his hand drop to his side. "Indeed, it maybe."

"I already can't forgive myself for what I've done. If we're too late I..I" He couldn't find the words for the hopeless brokenness that he was feeling.

Splinter then reached for that ray of hope Raph so desperately needed even if the ray was small. "It is very possible that she is alive, and will be when we find her. And if that is the case she will have much to deal with, as you do…and did."

Raph ran his hand along the scar that ran down the center of his plastron, his injured half finger drawing his attention. "Ya, she will."

For the next week and a half Raphael with his brothers, and April and Casey, held stakeouts at different coffee shops. They would split up into groups of two so they could watch three coffee shops a night. They wrote down the coming and going of every vehicle that passed. It's color, license plate, any information they could see. Then Don would run the plates and see what information he could get on the vehicles, but there were hundreds. And there was no telling if they were in the right place at the right time to get the right vehicle.

Donatello put his hand over his mouth to stifle a yawn.

"Doing alright?" Leo, Don's stake out partner tonight, asked.

"Considering my legs went numb an hour ago, I'm doing alright." Don said as he wrote down the information of another vehicle that passed on the street below.

"How is your hurt leg?" Leo shifted his weight his own legs sore from staying in the same position for too long.

"Better. Puncture wounds heal relatively fast."

Leo nodded knowing this all too well from his own collection of scars.

Another car passed and Don wrote down the needed information before pulling out his buzzing phone and inspecting it. He had a million and one things that connected to it for one reason or another. This particular reason had him suddenly on his feet and running back to the van that sat in the alley behind the building.

"Don." Leo called as he trailed after him. "What's going on?"

"The code cracked." He answered as he opened the back of the van and climbed in hurrying to an array of computers and other tech gear he had set up against one of the walls.

"To the GPS?" Leo asked as he climbed in, closing the door behind him.

"Yes." Don answered. He powered up the computer, that was connected to his 'Master computer' at home, then got to work downloading and reading the box truck's travel log, then cross referenced the information with a map of the city.

Leo sat in one of the back seats and waited patiently watching Don work.

"The truck came frommm there." Don smiled as he pointed out the location on the computerized map.

"Great." Leo smiled in return. "I'll call Mike and Casey, you call Raph and April and tell them to hurry we only have a few hours before dawn."

"On it." Donatello nodded as he took out his phone and dialed the number.

Leo leapt into the driver's seat dialing Michealangelo as he cranked the engine.


End file.
